Israeli drone strike on ambulance in southern Lebanon wounds 4 paramedics

Israel carried out a drone strike Sunday on an ambulance in the village of Tayr Harfa in southern Lebanon, wounding four paramedics, the official Lebanese News Agency reported.

"An enemy drone raided the outskirts of the village of Tayr Harfa and targeted two ambulances belonging to the Al-Resala Health Ambulance Association, wounding four paramedics," it said on its website, noting "the injuries ranged from minor to moderate."

Commenting on the incident, the head of the Lebanese Doctors Syndicate in Beirut, Prof. Youssef Bakhash, denounced the continued bombing of medical and health personnel and medical centers in Gaza.

He condemned "the transfer of this aggressive phenomenon that has nothing to do with humanity to southern Lebanon, where the Israeli occupation army deliberately attacked an ambulance belonging to the Al-Resala Health Ambulance Association while it was on duty a few hours ago," according to the Lebanese News Agency.

He called on humanitarian, health and medical organizations concerned with human rights to "move quickly and put pressure to stop these practices, especially since hospitalization and healthcare are basic rights for every human being."

Israeli artillery also bombed the outskirts of the towns of Marwahin, Al-Dhahira, Talbasin and Alma Al-Shaab in southern Lebanon, according to the agency.

For about a month, the Israeli-Lebanese border has witnessed intermittent exchanges of fire between the Israeli army on one side and the Lebanese Hezbollah group and Palestinian factions on the other side. The exchanges are considered the deadliest since Hezbollah and Israel fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tensions come as Israel widened air and ground operations in the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Israeli border towns on Oct. 7.

The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombardments in the Gaza Strip has risen to 9,770, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave announced Sunday.

"The death toll as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 is 9,770, including 4,800 children and 2,550 women," the ministry said in a statement.