Tehran [Iran], August 16 (ANI): Iran has strongly condemned the latest Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon that killed 11 people, including three children and two women from the same family, and injured several others, Tasnim News reported.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned what he described as the "brutal attacks" carried out by the "Zionist regime" on several areas of Lebanon, including Al-Ansar, Ali Al-Taher heights, Nabatieh al-Faouqa and Deir al-Zahrani, according to Tasnim News.
The attacks resulted in the "martyrdom of eleven people, including three children and two women from the same family," besides injuring several others and destroying residential and civilian premises, Baghaei said, as per Tasnim News.
Referring to the continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon, Baghaei said the aggression amounted to a violation of the country's "national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
He also criticised the United Nations Security Council over what he described as its "silence and inaction" regarding "gross violations of international law and international humanitarian law", calling it "deplorable".
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson further commended the "resistance" of the Lebanese people against Israeli aggression. Baghaei also reaffirmed Iran's "solidarity with Lebanon" in defending its national sovereignty, independence and dignity, Tasnim News reported.
At least 11 people were killed and 19 others injured in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday (local time), after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that three of its soldiers were injured in earlier attacks by Hezbollah, Al Jazeera reported.
The early-morning Israeli strikes targeted Ansar and Deir ez-Zahrani in the Nabatieh district. In Ansar, seven people were killed, including three children, while two others were injured. Another strike in Deir ez-Zahrani killed four people and injured 17 others, according to Al Jazeera.
Following the strikes, Israel acknowledged that civilians were among the casualties and accused Hezbollah of "deliberately putting civilians in that military compound." Israel identified the women and children killed in the strike as family members of a targeted senior Hezbollah commander, according to The Times of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire in Lebanon by attacking Israeli soldiers. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee echoed the allegation, saying Hezbollah "severely wounds" Israeli soldiers.
The strikes drew strong criticism from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who accused Israel of sending a "clear message" ahead of the next round of US-sponsored negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.
The latest strikes come amid heightened tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, particularly in southern Lebanon, with the IDF stating that its operations aim to target Hezbollah's military infrastructure and prevent attacks on Israeli forces. (ANI)
"Gross violations of international law": Iran condemns Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon
