On 14 October 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an airstrike on the Maronite Christian town of Aitou in North Lebanon, as part of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The airstrike killed 22 Lebanese people,[2] including 12 women and 2 children, and wounded 8.[3] This was the first time Israel targeted the Christian-majority region of Zgharta.[4][5][6] Lebanese sources have referred to it as a massacre.[7]
| October 2024 Aitou airstrike | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon | |
  Aitou Location within Lebanon | |
| Location | Aitou, Lebanon |
| Date | 14 October 2024 |
| Target | Ahmad Fakih[1] |
Attack type | Airstrikes, massacre |
| Deaths | 22 |
| Injured | 8+ |
| Perpetrator |  Israel Defense Forces |
Background
Israel began a ground invasion of Lebanon on 1 October 2024. The Israeli airstrike on Aitou took place following the Hezbollah drone attack on an IDF military barracks in Binyamina the previous day, after which Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue striking Hezbollah "without mercy, everywhere in Lebanon – including Beirut".[8]
Airstrike
The Lebanese National News Agency reported that the Israeli airstrike targeted a residential apartment in Aitou. The airstrike severely damaged the building, destroyed several cars and caused a large fume of thick smoke to rise.[9] The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that at least 21 Lebanese people were killed including 12 women and two children and 8 were wounded, and that DNA tests were being conducted to identify body parts.[3][10]
Although Hezbollah is mainly present in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, and has little to no presence in northern Lebanon, Israel claims to have targeted senior Hezbollah leader Ahmad Fakih.[11][12][13][1] The mayor of Aitou, Joseph Trad, said the building had been rented to displaced families that fled the warfare in southern Lebanon.
Reactions
The UN’s human rights office has called for an investigation into the strike. Spokesman Jeremy Laurence said the strike raised "real concerns" with respect to international humanitarian law.[14]
References
- ^ a b "LBCI sources: Ahmad Fakih identified as tenant in targeted Aitou-Ehden building; 18 people killed". LBCIV7. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "بعد ضربة إسرائيلية أوقعت 22 قتيلاً في بلدة أيطو اللبنانية... الأمم المتحدة تطالب بتحقيق مستقل". aawsat.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-10-15.
- ^ a b Jamal, Urooba; Uras, Umut (2024-10-15). "Many victims of Israeli strike on north Lebanon were women and children: UN". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence told a Geneva news briefing that "12 women and two children" were among those killed in the attack in the Christian-majority town of Aitou.
- ^ Jamal, Urooba; Uras, Umut. "At least 18 killed in Israeli air attack on northern Lebanon". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Israel-Lebanon live updates: Lebanon says at least nine people killed in Israeli strike in north". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Israel-Lebanon live updates: Lebanon says 21 people killed in Israeli strike in north". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "حصيلة مجزرة أيطو.. 21 شهيداً وانتشال أشلاء من مكان الغارة!". Lebanon24 (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ Pookasook, Artorn (14 October 2024). "Israel kills at least 21 in strike on Christian town in north Lebanon". Reuters.
- ^ "Israeli strike kills 18 in northern Lebanon as Hezbollah steps up attacks". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "Israeli strike on Christian-majority village in Lebanon kills 21". Al Arabiya News. 14 October 2024.
- ^ "Lebanese Red Cross: At least 18 killed in Israeli strike in northern Lebanon". The Times of Israel. 14 October 2024.
- ^ "Lebanon: Israel launches deadly air strike on Christian area". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ McKernan, Bethan (2024-10-14). "Israeli airstrike kills more than 20 in Christian town in northern Lebanon". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
- ^ "UN calls for investigation into deadly Israeli strike on north Lebanese village". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-10-25.