Israeli Strikes Reportedly Kill Nearly Two Dozen In Lebanese Christian Town Amid Conflict With Hezbollah

An Israeli airstrike reportedly killed nearly two dozen people in a Christian town in Lebanon on Monday amid Israel’s ongoing and rapidly escalating conflict with Hezbollah, according to multiple reports.

Israel has been in frequent conflict with Hezbollah since late 2023 but hostilities have grown sharply in recent weeks and months, as Israeli forces have dealt significant blows to the terrorist group’s fighting forces and military capabilities. Israel is continuing airstrikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon but targeted the north on Monday and hit the town of Aitou, which is a majority-Christian town, according to multiplereports.

The strike killed at least 21 people and injured eight, Lebanese health officials said, according to Reuters. It hit a house that had been rented out to displaced families; rescue workers were quickly on the scene to search through the rubble for survivors.

Strikes have typically been conducted in southern Lebanon — which borders Israel and houses the majority of Hezbollah forces — but Israel has seemingly expanded its range of operations, according to Reuters. Israel has made several evacuation orders for citizens throughout southern Lebanon to move north.

Hezbollah also launched rocket strikes against Israel on Monday, but those were intercepted, according to The New York Times. Hezbollah drone strikes against an Israeli military base over the weekend killed four Israeli soldiers and injured dozens more; the drones appeared to evade typical air defense systems, posing a potentially new challenge for Israel, as a majority of Hezbollah attacks up until this point have been rocket launches.