Israeli strike in Aramoun kills at least six, wounds 15

Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli strike killed at least six people on Wednesday in a densely-packed area south of the capital Beirut, outside Hezbollah’s traditional strongholds.

"The Israeli enemy strike on Aramoun killed six people" and wounded 15 others, the ministry said giving a preliminary toll, adding that "body parts were recovered from the site and their identities are being verified."

The strike hit an apartment building in the town of Aramoun, just south of Beirut. The state-run National News Agency reported that there were children missing after the strike and it wasn't clear if they are under the rubble or were transferred to a hospital.

There was no warning issued before the strike, and it was not clear what the target was. There was no immediate statement from the Israeli military.

Also Wednesday morning, the Israeli military struck several sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs, after issuing evacuation warnings. It said the strikes were targeting “Hezbollah facilities and interests.” There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been clashing since Oct. 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began launching rockets across the border in support of its ally, Hamas, in Gaza. The conflict escalated beginning in mid-September. Israel has launched a widespread aerial bombardment of Lebanon and a ground invasion that it said is intended to push Hezbollah back from the border.

Hezbollah says the Israeli military has been unable to occupy even a single village in Lebanon since launching its cross-border ground operations.