Israeli strikes damage hospital and infrastructure in southern Lebanon

BEIRUT: Israeli strikes early on Saturday caused heavy damage to a hospital in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported.

The latest wave of attacks hit Hiram Hospital and damaged several parts of the facility, including operating rooms, nurses' quarters, patient rooms, clinics, electrical systems and windows. NNA also reported that another building in the city was destroyed completely.

Israeli warplanes also damaged a large number of nearby homes as well as public infrastructure in surrounding neighbourhoods. The affected infrastructure included water and electricity networks and internal roads, according to the state news agency.

Emergency teams deployed

NNA said ambulances and civil defence teams were sent to the area to inspect the site and assess the extent of the damage following the strikes.

In a separate development, Israeli forces also carried out an airstrike on the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif.

Wider context of the conflict

The latest strikes come amid continuing Israeli attacks in Lebanon despite a US-mediated ceasefire that, remains in effect until early July.

The current phase of Israeli assaults in Lebanon began on March 2, shortly after Hezbollah's retaliation linked to the Iran war. Lebanese officials have said that more than 3,000 people have been killed and 1.6 million displaced since the start of that escalation.

The damage reported in Tyre adds to the toll on civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon, where hospitals, homes and utility networks have come under strain during the ongoing hostilities. Saturday's strikes, as described by Lebanon's state news agency, affected both medical facilities and residential areas, while also disrupting essential services in the city.

Tyre, a major city in southern Lebanon, has repeatedly figured in reports of Israeli bombardment during the current conflict. The latest incident, centred on Hiram Hospital and nearby neighbourhoods, underscores the continued impact of the fighting despite the ceasefire arrangement referenced in the report.