An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed 12 medical workers at a healthcare centre, Lebanese health authorities said on Saturday.
According to officials, the strike hit a clinic in the town of Burj Qalawiya, killing doctors, paramedics and nurses working at the facility. Another strike in the town of Sawaneh killed two paramedics affiliated with Hezbollah and its ally Amal.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon on Friday. The Lebanese health ministry said an attack in the village of Miyeh w Miyeh near the port city of Sidon killed eight people.
Hezbollah also launched attacks against Israeli forces on Friday, as part of what it said was a Quds Day operation. Quds Day is an annual demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause in Iran, on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
Lebanon was drawn deeper into the regional conflict last week after Hezbollah attacked Israel following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran that killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israel has warned Lebanon that the country will face increasing consequences if Hezbollah continued its actions. Defence minister Israel Katz said the strikes on infrastructure were only the beginning.
“This is just the beginning and the Lebanese government and the state of Lebanon will pay an increasing price in damage to Lebanese national infrastructure used by Hezbollah terrorists,” Katz said.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday that the group was ready for a prolonged conflict with Israel. “We have prepared ourselves for a long confrontation, and God willing, they (Israelis) will be surprised on the battlefield,” Qassem said in a televised address.
Lebanese president Joseph Aoun earlier this week offered to negotiate directly with Israel. However, on Friday he said he had not received any response.
