Israel Killed Two Medics in Attack on Southern Lebanon

Attack also struck an ambulance, officials report

Israeli military strikes in southern Lebanon continued on Thursday, with reports that a flurry of strikes in Hanin struck a first aid clinic, killing two medics who were within. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed and condemned the strike, adding that the Israelis also hit an ambulance.

Hezbollah confirmed the incident in a statement through affiliated media outlets, saying it was a “blatant attack” which killed the two and wounded a non-specified number of others within the Islamic Health Society center. Others in Hezbollah said they were responding with missile fire into northern Israel.

The official Israeli statement on the matter appears to confirm the attack, although it called the struck target “terrorist infrastructure.” The statement added that a number of other areas in Lebanese territory were struck.

Adding to the ominous nature of the attack on the clinic, Israeli Army Chief Herzi Halevi bragged of the destructive capabilities the Israeli military has deployed in the Gaza War, saying to soldiers “there is no village in Lebanon that you cannot enter and destroy.”

Lt. Gen. Halevi’s promise to “do what is necessary there” must inevitably raise concerns in southern Lebanon of further and continued escalation, after a solid week of tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Hezbollah along the border regions of both sides.

Halevi’s choice of words in speaking to the military also likely reverberated at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where genocide charges against Israel saw testimony today that was heavily focused not just on damage done, but on callous comments from high-ranking Israeli officials which they said showed “intent” to kill on a large scale and incitement of troops to do so.

Israel has denied the genocide claim, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it an “upside-down world” and insisting the attacks are against “murderous terrorists.” Israel is scheduled to formally defend itself at the ICJ on Friday.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.