Deadly Israeli Strikes Target Lebanon’s Displaced Population – Reuters

By Timour Azhari and AbdelHadi Ramahi

MAAYSRAH, Lebanon – The Amro family home in the scenic Keserwan mountains of Lebanon had become a sanctuary for families seeking safety from the conflict escalating in the southern regions of the country.

By September 25, over 50 individuals from three families had congregated in two buildings in Maaysrah, a Shi’ite Muslim village situated in the Christian mountain area, which historically had been considered safe from Israeli attacks during previous conflicts.

On that fateful day, shortly after 11 a.m., Israeli warplanes targeted the site, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including two men and 14 women and children, as reported by family members, local officials, and medical sources. Additionally, over 30 people sustained injuries, approximately half of whom were children.

Among the structures hit was the home of a Hezbollah fighter who had lost his life in August. Although a former fighter who had been injured in battle was present, no active combatants were reported to be in the vicinity at the time of the strike, according to local officials.

This incident is part of a troubling trend of Israeli airstrikes that have led to increasing civilian casualties amid an escalation of military operations, as indicated by figures from the Lebanese health ministry. Officials affiliated with Hezbollah allege that these attacks are acts of collective punishment aimed at undermining support for the group within its Shi’ite Muslim base.

In response to queries about the airstrikes, the Israeli military claimed that it operates "in strict accordance with international law" and takes all necessary precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The military also stated that Hezbollah incorporates military infrastructure within civilian areas and that efforts are made to evacuate civilians prior to airstrikes. However, the specific incident in Maaysrah was not addressed.

Hezbollah has denied the allegations of placing military assets among civilians.

The recent aerial attacks have led to significant civilian casualties, including a strike on Ain Delb near Sidon that resulted in 45 fatalities, many of whom were displaced individuals.

Overall, Israeli strikes across Lebanon have claimed more than 1,640 lives in nearly a year of ongoing conflict, with a notable increase in casualties over the past two weeks. Among the deceased are 104 children and 194 women, according to government statistics. In Israel, approximately 50 soldiers and civilians have died in the same timeframe, as per Israeli sources. Lebanon does not provide details distinguishing between civilian and combatant casualties.

Many individuals gathered in Maaysrah had previously fled their homes in the southern town of Houla, seeking refuge with relatives as the conflict expanded following Hezbollah’s escalation of attacks against Israel on October 8, the day after the Hamas assaults that ignited the war in Gaza.

Others had arrived just hours before the attack, escaping from areas that had initially offered them safety as the situation intensified and Israel began unprecedented bombardments of Lebanon.

Ali Koteich was in a restless sleep when he heard the whistle of an incoming missile followed by a powerful explosion. "I got up and opened the door, and everything was gone—the walls were on the ground, and there was fire everywhere with people screaming," shared the teenager, who fled to the village months earlier. "There were over 12 kids, and we started removing debris; some were intact, while others were disfigured or burned," he recounted from Maritime Hospital in Jbeil, where families were receiving care.

Tragically, Koteich lost his grandmother and niece, and his parents and siblings were injured in the attack.

Maaysrah’s Mayor, Zuhair Amro, noted that the buildings, which housed six apartments, included the residence of Ali Amro, the Hezbollah fighter who had died in Houla in August. The airstrike claimed the lives of his widow and two young children, with the mayor alleging that the aim was to erase the family’s existence from official records. He denied any presence of military threats posed by Hezbollah in the area, asserting instead that the goal was similar to operations in Gaza.

Israel did not respond to the mayor’s claims.

In the pediatric ward of the Jbeil hospital, 4-year-old Qassem Hussein lay injured, with cuts and burns on his arms and face, in addition to a broken thigh requiring surgery. He had lost his father in the strike, and his mother was in critical condition. "I have no words," expressed an aunt at his bedside, her gaze fixed on her nephew. "We can’t endure this anymore."

Several patients remain in critical condition, including an 11-year-old boy who suffered severe injuries. Dr. Dany Kattar described the scene as the worst he had ever witnessed in his career, lamenting the visible distress among hospital staff.