Israeli Airstrike Claims Lives of 3 Girls, Grandma in South Lebanon, Hezbollah Retaliates

November 6, 2023

Israeli strike on a civilian car (5-11-2023)

A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in southern Lebanon, where a Zionist military aggression took the lives of three Lebanese children, alongside their grandmother on Sunday evening.

The victims of this tragic incident include Samira Abdel Hassan Ayoub, along with her granddaughters Remas, Talin, and Enas.

Their mother, Hoda Abdel Nabi Hijazi, sustained injuries when a civilian car (CRV), situated between the towns of Blida and Ainata along the southern border between Lebanon and occupied Palestine, was targeted by Israeli enemy aircraft, directly striking it and igniting a fire.

In response to this heinous crime, Hezbollah released a statement announcing that Islamic resistance fighters targeted Kiryat Shmona settlement with a series of Grad missiles.

“In retaliation for the atrocious and barbaric act committed by the Zionist enemy earlier today, targeting a civilian vehicle on the Al-Muaysara road between Ainata and Aitaroun, resulting in the tragic loss of a woman and her three grandchildren, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance took action at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, 2023,” the statements read, continuing “the fighters launched a series of Grad (Katyusha) missiles towards the Kiryat Shmona settlement.”

Car set ablaze in Kiryat Shmona after Hezbollah’s retaliation to civilian casualties

“The Islamic Resistance vehemently underscores its unwavering commitment to protect civilians from harm and aggression. It affirms that its response will be resolute and formidable,” Hezbollah affirmed.

Hezbollah MP Hasan Fadlallah, directly after the crime took place, expressed his outrage during a televised interview. “We are confronting a grievous act against innocent civilians, and the perpetrators will face the consequences of their actions,” he stated.

Fadlallah emphatically maintained that “the Israeli cannot rationalize this crime, and we have a clear stance against the occupation.” He emphasized, “The occupation cannot intimidate the resilient people of the south, and we will stand against its transgressions regardless of the cost.”

Condemnations

The Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, has made a statement, asserting that the Israeli crime will not go unpunished. He has declared that the incident will be pursued through international diplomatic channels, with a formal complaint to be lodged with the United Nations Security Council.

Mikati pointed out that this crime stands as a stark contrast to the calls for calm and the acquiescence to the occupation’s actions against Lebanon. He viewed this act as yet another blemish on the global conscience that has, regrettably, overlooked the Israeli occupation’s actions in southern Lebanon and Gaza.

“This heinous crime will not go unnoticed and the government will closely monitor the situation. Efforts will be made through international diplomatic channels, including an urgent complaint lodged against the Israeli enemy with the United Nations Security Council,” he asserted. Mikati concluded with a heartfelt remembrance of the martyrs who lost their lives.

In a separate statement, the Free Patriotic Movement decried the Israeli crime against innocent civilians and children, highlighting the enemy’s apparent intent to expand the scope of its attacks in Lebanon after failing to achieve its goals in Gaza. The movement warned Western nations, which support ‘Israel’, that it is their responsibility to rein in the aggression to prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control.

The movement urged these countries to prevent the escalation of the war, thus avoiding dragging the West into a conflict that defies all constraints. It extended its heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs.

Talal Arslan, the leader of the Lebanese Democratic Party, voiced his concerns about the situation, emphasizing that the enemy’s actions are pushing Lebanon toward a war with unforeseeable consequences.

In a post shared on his “X” platform account, Arslan highlighted the stark contrast between the rational and straightforward statements made by Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah in his recent speech and the Israeli enemy’s response, which involved a heinous crime targeting civilians and children which have consequently left all possibilities open. “The enemy appears intent on dragging Lebanon into a conflict with potential repercussions that it may not fully grasp,” he said. According to Arslan, this suggests that the enemy is not adhering to the guidance of its superiors and is resorting to violence and force as its primary means of communication.

Arslan concluded by extending his heartfelt condolences to the Lebanese people, particularly those in the south, and the residents of Ainata, while also wishing a swift recovery to the wounded and invoking God’s mercy on the martyrs.

In turn, Speaker Nabih Berri highlighted the latest atrocity committed by the Israeli occupation forces to the targeting of civilians on the Ainata-Aitaroun road. He emphasized that this heinous act illustrates the Israeli entity’s ruthless aggression, extending from Gaza to southern Lebanon.

Berri expressed his condemnation of the deliberate targeting of civilians in their vehicles and paramedics while carrying out their humanitarian duties. He underscored that such actions epitomize organized state terrorism and called attention to the alarming statement made by Israel’s Minister of Heritage, who suggested the use of nuclear weapons against the Palestinian people in Gaza. According to Speaker Berri, this is indicative of a deeply troubling pattern of behavior at both the military and political levels within ‘Israel’.
He further emphasized that these actions represent a single, interconnected context, demonstrating the Israeli entity’s aggressive stance from Gaza to southern Lebanon, and reaffirming the need to address this ongoing crisis.

It’s worth noting that four paramedics were wounded when an Israeli drone bombed an ambulance for the Amal Movement-affiliated Islamic Risala Scout Association on the outskirts of the south Lebanon town of Tayr Harfa.

The National News Agency said the injuries ranged from light to moderate.

Notably, Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, issued a warning to the Zionist enemy two days ago, cautioning against “escalations that affect some civilians in Lebanon.” He emphasized the need to avoid a situation that could lead to civilian casualties.

Furthermore, Sayyed Nasrallah underscored that “all possibilities on the Lebanese front remain open, and all options are on the table, ready to be deployed at any given moment. We must all be prepared for a range of potential scenarios.”

Following is a video, from the Israeli media, of the fire that erupted after Hezbollah fired Grad series at Kiryat Shmona:

Source: Al-Manar English Website