At Least 14 Killed as Israel Attacks Refugee Shelter in Far North Lebanon Village

Israel today carried out its northernmost attack on Lebanese soil during its current war, hitting a shelter for refugees in the far north village of Ain Yaaqoub. The building housed mostly Syrian refugees, according to local officials.

At least 14 people were killed in the attack and over 15 wounded, according to the mayor. The overall toll is likely to rise as rescuers still comb the rubble for survivors. Lebanese media has already reported the casualties to be in excess of 30, which is the number of people the shelter is said to have housed.

Ain Yaaqoub is in the Akkar Province, the furthest north province of Lebanon. The village is majority Sunni Muslims and Greek Orthodox Christians. Locals say there is no visible Hezbollah presence, so it is unclear why the shelter was targeted in a war supposedly focused on Shi’ite militants.

Though Israel’s war focuses most of attacks on southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and the suburbs of the capital Beirut, it has launched multiple attacks outside of what is considered the combat zones. Yesterday the IDF hit the northern village of Almat in Jbeil District, killing 23. But today’s attack penetrated by far the deepest into the country thus far.

The refugees in Ain Yaaqoub were mostly Syrians displaced not by the current Israeli invasion of Lebanon, but were those who fled to Lebanon during the protracted Syrian Civil War. While some Syrians, especially in southern Lebanon, have returned to their home country, most have not, as Syria remains a turbulent, danger-ridden state.

As is often the case, Israel has yet to comment on the strike in Ain Yaaqoub. Neither is there an obvious explanation as to why it carried out an airstrike on refugees in a village so far from the fight.