Israeli rockets kill 12 healthcare workers in southern Lebanon | Lebanon
Israel killed 12 healthcare workers in an attack on a medical center in Southern Lebanon on Friday night, bringing the number of medical staff killed by Israel in the country to 31 in the last 12 days.
A primary healthcare facility in the town of Burj Qalaouiyah was hit by Israeli rockets late Friday, setting it on fire and causing the structure to collapse on staff inside. The Lebanese Ministry of Health stated in its statement that “all international humanitarian laws were violated” and that doctors, paramedics and nurses on duty lost their lives in the attack.
Human rights groups have said that any attack on healthcare workers, regardless of political affiliation, is a war crime.
Lebanese officials said Israel has carried out at least 37 attacks on medical workers and facilities in Lebanon, including the state’s civil defense and the Lebanese Red Cross, since the start of current hostilities.
The war in Lebanon began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at Israel, triggering a rapid bombing campaign across the country. The conflict has escalated since then, with Hezbollah continuing to fire rockets and Israeli troops occupying southern Lebanon.
Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 826 people and displaced nearly 1 million people, according to the health ministry.
On Saturday morning, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee accused Hezbollah of using ambulances and medical facilities for military purposes and said Israeli forces “will act in accordance with international law” if Hezbollah does not stop. The spokesman provided no credible evidence for his claim.
In its statement, the Lebanese Ministry of Health denied the Israeli army’s claim that ambulances were used for military purposes and stated that this was “nothing but a justification for its crimes against humanity.”
During the 13-month Israel-Hezbollah war in 2024, Israel accused Hezbollah of using ambulances for military purposes, again without reliable evidence. At the same time Killed 408 paramedics workers.
Israel was accused of war crimes by the UN commission of inquiry for attacks on health facilities in Gaza during its two-year war in Gaza. A senior prosecutor at the international criminal court said claims in 2024 that Hamas fighters were in hospitals in Gaza, which is under siege by the Israeli army, were “grossly exaggerated”. Gaza’s healthcare system has been largely destroyed by Israel’s constant attacks.
Humanitarian groups have warned that the Israeli army’s accusation that Hezbollah is using health centers for military purposes could be used as justification for further attacks on such facilities in Lebanon.
According to international humanitarian law, healthcare workers are considered civilians and enjoy protection status, regardless of their political affiliation.
