Israeli air strikes kill 29 in southern Lebanon

Beirut (ANTARA) - Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanon overnight into Wednesday, 20 May, have killed at least 29 people, including women and children, and wounded dozens more, according to the National News Agency (NNA), Lebanon’s government-run news agency.

The strikes hit several towns and targeted residential areas, areas near government hospitals, and a motorcycle on a highway, NNA said.

The deadliest bombing struck a town in the Tyre District, South Governorate, near the border with Israel, killing 12 people, including a Syrian national, NNA reported.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces near the town of Haddatha, south Lebanon, and targeted a group of Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces also carried out large-scale destruction operations between the border villages of Blida and Mays al-Jabal, triggering powerful blasts.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said negotiations remain the only way to end the conflict and stressed that weapons must be under the exclusive control of the state forces.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed 3,073 people and wounded 9,362 others.

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect in April and has been extended several times, but both sides continue to exchange attacks.

Speaking on Wednesday at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Lebanon’s Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine said the ongoing Israeli strikes have severely damaged Lebanon’s health sector.

He disclosed that 116 health workers have died, 16 hospitals damaged, 147 ambulances attacked, and 45 health care centres forced to close since March 2.