Israeli Airstrike Kills Seven in Lebanon; Tankers Targeted Near Hormuz
An Israeli strike killed seven in Lebanon, while two vessels came under attack near the Strait of Hormuz, raising regional alarm.
An Israeli airstrike on Saturday killed seven people in southern Lebanon, marking one of the deadliest incidents since a fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in late June. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that the strike hit a home on the edge of Ansar village, wounding three others. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident.
The attack comes weeks after Lebanon and Israel announced a framework agreement aimed at withdrawing Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Hezbollah, which refused direct talks, was not party to the agreement.
In a separate development, two vessels were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. A tanker operated by Abu Dhabi's state-owned energy firm ADNOC was struck on Friday evening while transiting the waterway, according to Emirati state media. No injuries were reported, and it was the third such attack on ADNOC vessels in the past week. The UAE has previously blamed Iran for similar incidents but has not yet commented on this one.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said a bulk carrier was hit by an unknown projectile that damaged its hull. Shipping through the strait has been severely disrupted since the Iran war began in late February, with the waterway — through which roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil and gas once passed — now virtually closed.