A missile strike at the Naqoura camp in Lebanon injured eight Austrian soldiers serving in the UN peacekeeping force, while a separate incident in Gaza saw at least 60 people killed in an Israeli airstrike. The strike, which occurred in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, killed over half of its victims, including women and children. The Gaza health ministry reported that 17 people are still missing and another 12 women and 20 children were among the dead.
The Austrian soldiers, who were lightly injured with “superficial scrapes,” were unable to immediately identify the origin of the attack. The incident came as tensions continue to escalate in the region, with Israel waging a large operation in northern Gaza and carrying out airstrikes across the territory. The Israeli military has been targeting what it calls pockets of Hamas militants who have regrouped in the area.
Missile Strikes Wreak Havoc in Gaza and Lebanon (Image via Getty)
Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the militant group Hezbollah has chosen Sheikh Naim Kassem to succeed long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last month. Hezbollah has vowed to continue with Nasrallah’s policies “until victory is achieved.” Kassem, 71, has been Nasrallah’s deputy leader for over three decades and has given several televised speeches vowing that Hezbollah will fight on despite a string of setbacks.
The news comes as the region grapples with a humanitarian crisis. Palestinians in Gaza are facing a severe shortage of aid, with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, facing restrictions on its ability to operate. Israel has passed legislation that could severely restrict UNRWA’s ability to operate, sparking warnings from aid groups that the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza is imminent.
The situation is particularly dire for children, with Unicef warning that the suspension of UNRWA’s work would likely see the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza and render Unicef unable to distribute lifesaving supplies. The war in Gaza, which began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, has already claimed the lives of over 43,000 Palestinians and displaced almost 90% of the population. The conflict has also seen the death of at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of about 250.
