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Lebanese Officials Condemn Deadly Israeli Attack on Blida

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This is Beirut
Lebanese Officials Condemn Deadly Israeli Attack on Blida
Israeli planes conducted a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday. ©This is Beirut

Top Lebanese officials on Thursday denounced Israel’s latest attacks on southern Lebanon, including a deadly overnight strike on the Blida municipal building that killed municipal employee Ibrahim Salameh, describing it as a “flagrant assault on Lebanese sovereignty and state institutions.”

Following the incident, President Joseph Aoun instructed Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal to ensure that the military responds to any Israeli incursions into South Lebanon “to safeguard national sovereignty and protect citizens.” Aoun also urged the Ceasefire Monitoring Committee to move beyond documenting violations and to take concrete action to halt them by pressuring Israel to uphold the ceasefire agreement.

 

In a statement, the Lebanese Army (LAF) condemned the strike as “a violation of Lebanese sovereignty, the ceasefire agreement, and UN Security Council Resolution 1701.” The army called on the monitoring mechanism to “intervene to end these incursions and violations,” affirming that it continues to monitor Israeli activities in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

 

For his part, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the Israeli operation, calling it “a blatant attack on the Lebanese state and its sovereignty.” He extended condolences to Salameh’s family and expressed solidarity with “the people of the South.” Salam said the government is pressing the United Nations and the countries sponsoring the cessation of hostilities to “ensure an end to repeated violations and the full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.”

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri denounced what he termed “continued Israeli aggression” against Lebanon, noting that the strike had targeted “a government office affiliated with the Interior Ministry” in Blida and killed Salameh “in cold blood.” He also cited Israeli attacks on the Husseiniya hall in Odaisseh, as well as strikes on Lebanese Army and UNIFIL positions that hindered their operations.

Berri called for national unity, urging all Lebanese to “rally behind the President of the Republic and his stance on the current escalation.”

Furthermore, Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar condemned what he described as a “heinous crime committed by Israel against municipal employee Ibrahim Salameh,” calling it “a flagrant violation of human rights.” He urged an immediate halt to attacks targeting civilians and public institutions.

According to local reports, an Israeli patrol entered Blida around 1:30 a.m., advancing more than a kilometer beyond the border with the support of armored vehicles and all-terrain quads. The troops reportedly stormed the municipal building, where Salameh, who had been staying overnight, was shot and killed. The operation lasted until around 4:00 a.m., after which Israeli forces withdrew. The Lebanese Army later entered the area, and civil defense teams transported the victim’s body to a nearby hospital.

Adraee confirmed that Israeli troops carried out a ground incursion into Blida, saying they had identified a suspect inside a building and opened fire “after an immediate threat to soldiers was detected.” He added that the circumstances of the incident were under investigation.

The Israeli army claimed the municipal building “had recently been used by Hezbollah for terrorist activities under the cover of civilian infrastructure,” accusing the group of “endangering Lebanese civilians by exploiting public facilities for military purposes.”

In response, the Blida municipality called for a protest in front of the municipal building at 10:30 a.m., and several neighboring municipalities issued statements condemning the attack.
Angry residents also blocked the main road in protest of the raid and the killing of Salameh. A UNIFIL patrol in the area was reportedly forced to turn back after encountering demonstrators.

Series of Israeli Raids in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli warplane carried out an airstrike on the Labbouneh area in Naqoura, followed by a second strike about 200 meters from the Lebanese Army post in Labbouneh.

Meanwhile, an Israeli aircraft dropped a stun grenade on the outskirts of the town of Shebaa, targeting the house of a shepherd named Firas Hamdan, coinciding with bursts of gunfire.  Reports indicated that the shepherd’s wife and child were injured by the grenade.

Additionally, an Israeli airstrike targeted the main road in the town of Harouf with a guided missile that landed in the middle of the road, causing minor injuries.

Israeli aircraft also launched a series of airstrikes early Thursday on the southern towns of Jarmak and Mahmoudieh.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the strikes targeted Hezbollah positions, including a rocket launchpad and the entrance to a tunnel in the Mahmoudieh area, claiming that Hezbollah had violated the November 27, 2024 ceasefire agreement. He said Israeli forces “will continue operations to eliminate any threat directed against Israel.”

 

Local sources reported that another Israeli force blew up a building in the nearby town of Odaisseh early Thursday. No injuries were reported.

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