Series of rocket fires from Lebanon kills 7 including 4 Thai workers in northern Israel

As Israeli forces continue its attacks targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, health authorities in Lebanon said 24 people were killed in the strikes on Thursday.

The initial set of projectiles from Lebanon struck an agricultural area in Metula killing four Thai workers and an Israeli farmer. Shortly after, another volley of some 25 rockets from Lebanon hit an olive grove near Haifa, resulting in two casualties—a 30-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman—along with injuries to two others.

Last year, 41 Thais were among the 1,200 people killed when Hamas militants launched an attack across Israeli borders, according to Israeli authorities.

The Lebanese Health Ministry also reported that in the past 24 hours, Israeli airstrikes have led to 45 deaths and 110 injuries across various regions in Lebanon. Currently, around 12,000 displaced individuals are seeking shelter in private homes throughout the area.

Meanwhile, in northern Gaza, Israeli forces targeted one of the last operational hospitals, destroying essential supplies delivered by the World Health Organization and injuring four medical personnel. The Israeli military has not commented on this incident, which has drawn condemnation from Gaza’s Health Ministry who have called on the international community to protect medical facilities in Gaza, new agency AP reported.

White House aides meet Netanyahu

US diplomats Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials to actively negotiate ceasefires in both Lebanon and Gaza as the Biden administration seeks to de-escalate tensions in the region ahead of the upcoming elections.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa urged all parties to pursue peace on behalf of civilians affected by the ongoing conflict after four Thai workers lost their lives in the conflict.

In the past year, escalating Israeli military operations against Hezbollah have resulted in at least 2,865 deaths and over 13,000 injuries in Lebanon, severely impacting towns near the border. The conflict intensified last month following heavy airstrikes that killed Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, along with many of his deputies.

– With AP inputs