At least four killed in overnight strikes in Lebanon

BEIRUT – Overnight strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least four people, Lebanese state media and the government said on March 15, as Israel said it was pressing its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Israel is fighting a second front in the war in the Middle East in southern Lebanon, against Hezbollah, alongside the air campaign against Iran it launched with the United States more than two weeks ago.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israel struck “an apartment in a residential building” in a northern district of the coastal city of Sidon, killing one person and causing a fire.

An AFP journalist at the scene saw damage to the third storey of an apartment building as the Lebanese army cordoned off the area and rescue teams worked to extinguish the blaze.

Nearby residents rushed into the street, some carrying belongings.

To the south-east of Sidon, in the village of Al-Qatrani, three people were killed in an overnight Israeli strike, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

The Israeli military said in a statement on March 15 it continued to strike infrastructure used by Hezbollah throughout Lebanon, and hit “several Hezbollah launch sites” in Al-Qatrani, where it said the armed group was preparing to fire off missiles.

It also said it destroyed “command centres” belonging to Hezbollah’s Radwan Force in Beirut.

Hezbollah said on March 15 it was targeting several Israeli troop positions in villages close to the border.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israeli air strikes have killed 826 people in Lebanon since the start of the latest war, which began March 2 with Hezbollah firing missiles at Israel.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has proposed negotiations with Israel, but has yet to receive a response.

A Lebanese official told AFP on March 14 that the country was preparing to form a delegation to negotiate with Israel but that there was no agenda, timing or location yet decided for any talks.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said the Lebanese government was ready to engage in “direct talks” with Israel and he offered to host negotiations in Paris, warning that “everything must be done to prevent Lebanon from descending into chaos”. AFP