Three paramedics killed in successive Israeli strikes in Lebanon, officials say

Lebanese Officials Report Three Paramedics Killed in Israeli Strikes

Lebanese authorities have confirmed that at least three paramedics were killed in a series of Israeli attacks across southern Lebanon within a single day, marking a significant escalation in the conflict with Hezbollah. The incidents are being described as deliberate targeting of medical personnel, raising concerns about the safety of healthcare workers in the ongoing war.

According to the Lebanese health ministry, the first strike occurred when a team from the Islamic Health Association was ambushed while attempting to assist victims at the scene of an Israeli air attack in Mayfadoun, a town in the Nabatieh region. One paramedic was killed, and another is still missing. A second team from the same organization, responding to the same site, faced another assault, resulting in three paramedics being injured.

The situation worsened when two ambulances from the Risala Scout Association and the Nabatieh Ambulance Service were also targeted. This attack claimed the lives of two additional paramedics and left three others wounded. Among the casualties was Fadel Serhan, a 43-year-old member of the Risala Scout Association. Serhan’s team had been operating from a tent near Nabih Berri Hospital after their base in Mayfadoun was destroyed by an Israeli strike early in the war.

“He was generous, ready to offer a hand to anyone. He had a very high sense of humanity and a great sense of humour,” said Ali Nasreddine, a former classmate and colleague of Serhan. “In the previous war he had stayed here to offer help. In this war, he had also stayed. I’ll always remember him as a loving father, brother, and friend.”

Since the conflict began on 2 March, the health ministry reports over 2,100 fatalities and 7,000 injuries, with casualties spanning both combatants and civilians. This includes at least 260 women and 172 children. Health professionals have been particularly affected, with 91 killed and 208 injured, alongside more than 120 Israeli attacks on ambulances and medical facilities.

The Islamic Health Association is linked to Hezbollah, while the Risala Scout Association is affiliated with the Amal Movement. Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of using medical services for military operations, though it has not provided concrete evidence. Lebanon’s health minister has dismissed these claims, labeling Wednesday’s attacks as a “flagrant crime” and highlighting the “total disregard for international humanitarian law.”

Kristine Beckerle, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Amnesty International, emphasized that “civilians, including healthcare workers, do not lose their protected status simply based on an affiliation.” She added that “deliberately striking medics performing their humanitarian functions is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and could constitute a war crime.”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has been responsible for killing two civilians in Israel during the same period, while 13 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Lebanon, according to Israeli authorities. The health ministry has yet to comment further on the latest attacks, but it has called for accountability in the conduct of the conflict.