Israel strikes southern Lebanon; children, paramedics among 11 killed

Israeli strikes on a southern Lebanese town reportedly killed 11, including two children and two medics, on Monday morning.According to the state news media, nine were killed in a post-midnight strike on a three-storey residential building, while the two paramedics died when the second strike hit a car.Israeli military claimed the attack was in retaliation for the drone attacks on its troops by the armed group Hezbollah in the occupied areas of Lebanon.According to Reuters, the airstrikes killed at least seven on Sunday, with Israel intensifying its bombardment of southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire brokered in June between Lebanese Hezbollah and the Israeli defence forces.The strikes on the town reportedly came without an online evacuation warning from the Israeli military.The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports, BBC reported.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the attacks were a "dangerous escalation" that hampered the US-brokered ceasefire meant to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.On March 2, Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel within days after Israel and the US struck Iran, after which Israel launched a massive air and ground offensive on Lebanon; 4,300 Lebanese citizens have died since then, with Israel occupying a major portion of the country’s southern half.Israeli military has continued striking both the occupied territories and the north, often reportedly without evacuation warnings.The IDF said it was looking into the reports regarding Monday strikes.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.