Israeli Airstrike Kills 15 Rescue Workers in Lebanon's Baalbek Region

An Israeli airstrike on Thursday targeted an emergency response center in northeastern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 rescue workers.

This attack, one of the deadliest on Lebanese emergency responders during the ongoing conflict, occurred in Douris, near Baalbek. The strike destroyed a building belonging to the Lebanese Civil Defence Agency, a government-run body unaffiliated with the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah. Among the victims was Bilal Raad, the city’s civil defense chief.

While the Israeli military has not commented on the strike, Lebanon’s health ministry has condemned the attack as “barbaric.” The Lebanese Civil Defence is responsible for critical emergency services, including search and rescue operations and firefighting.

In a separate incident in the southern Nabatieh region, an Israeli airstrike on Thursday demolished a civil defense center in the town of Arab Salim, killing six individuals, including five paramedics. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that at least 192 emergency and healthcare workers have died in Israeli airstrikes since the escalation of the conflict with Hezbollah in September.

These attacks coincide with Israel’s escalating air campaign across Lebanon, which has intensified in recent days. Airstrikes have targeted areas such as the southern suburbs of Beirut, where Hezbollah maintains a stronghold. This region endured bombing for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, following evacuation orders from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which claims to be targeting Hezbollah-related infrastructure.

International calls for a ceasefire have grown stronger, with U.S. officials presenting a formal proposal to Lebanese authorities. The Lebanese government has insisted that any ceasefire agreement be based on United Nations Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution stipulates the removal of Hezbollah’s fighters and weapons from areas between the Blue Line—the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel—and the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers from the Israeli border.

A potential ceasefire deal could involve the deployment of additional Lebanese army troops to the area, alongside a monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance. However, Israel insists on retaining the right to act within Lebanon should any agreement be violated. There is currently no indication that Hezbollah or the Lebanese government are willing to accept such a provision.

Despite significant losses from airstrikes that have severely damaged Hezbollah’s infrastructure and leadership, analysts suggest the group has regrouped and continues to carry out daily attacks on northern Israel, though with less intensity.

During a visit by Ali Larijani, senior advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a ceasefire and the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701, emphasizing that no amendments or reinterpretations of the resolution would be accepted. Negotiations aimed at securing a broader understanding continue.