War in the Middle East: Israeli strikes kill 12 in Lebanon, announces the Ministry of Health

The Israeli army intensified its strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday May 13, four of which targeted cars south of Beirut, killing 22 people, including several children, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. These strikes, on more than 30 separate locations according to the national information agency (ANI), come as Lebanon and Israel are due to begin a new session of talks under the auspices of the United States on Thursday in Washington, despite opposition from the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement.

Eight people, including two children, were killed in strikes which targeted three cars about twenty kilometers south of Beirut, according to the Ministry of Health. A fourth strike targeted a car at the entrance to Saida, south of Beirut, according to ANI. One person was killed and another injured, according to the Ministry of Health. From the same source, Israeli strikes in the Tire region hit three cars, killing three people, while three children and two women were killed in the town of Arab Salim, another child in Harouf and three other people, including two children, in Roumin.

Furthermore, more than 10,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in Lebanon, the National Council for Scientific Research estimated on Wednesday.“Since the ceasefire (…) we have noted that 5,386 homes had been completely destroyed and 5,246 damaged”declared the director of this Lebanese public establishment, Chadi Abdallah, during a press conference. Despite a truce that came into effect at midnight on April 17, Israel continues its massive strikes, while Hezbollah continues to claim attacks against Israeli targets.