International

Lebanon local official says 19 killed in Israeli strike on family’s home

Published

1 year ago

October 24, 2024

Lebanon local official says 19 killed in Israeli strike on family’s home

At least 19 people, including six women and five children, were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, a local official has said.

Suad Hammoud told the BBC that the dead included former school principal Ahmed Ezzedine and three generations of his family, who all lived in the three-storey building in the village of Teffahta.

The village’s imam, Sheikh Abdo Abo Rayya, was killed while walking near the house at the time of the strike along with two passers-by, she added.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident, but it has repeatedly said it takes measures to mitigate harm to civilians.

It has carried out thousands of air strikes across Lebanon over the past four weeks, targeting what it has said are the armed group Hezbollah’s operatives, infrastructure and weapons.

Ms Hammoud said Wednesday’s strike in Teffahta happened after the funeral for Ahmed Ezzedine’s cousin and brother-in-law, Khodr, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in the neighbouring village of Marwanieh on Monday.

But she said a report by the state-run National News Agency (NNA) that the strike had targeted a wake for mourners to express their condolences was incorrect.

“Only the house’s residents were there. They came back after the funeral. There were no strangers there,” she said.

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“People are aware that the circumstances do not allow them offering condolences in person, so there are no wakes in the village anymore.”

Also inside the house with Mr Ezzedine were his wife, sister, daughters, daughter-in-law, sons-in-law and his grandchildren, she said.

Mr Ezzedine lived on the ground floor, while his children and their families lived on the upper floors. But everyone is believed to have been on the ground floor when the house was hit.

A video posted on social media showed shortly afterwards showed a huge plume of smoke rising from a hillside in Teffahta where the house was located.

On Wednesday morning, Lebanese TV broadcast footage of a pile of rubble and twisted metal that once made up the upper floors.

The Lebanese health ministry has not reported how many people were killed in the strike. But Ms Hammoud and Teffahta’s community Facebook account put the death toll at 19.

The Facebook account named the five children as Mohammed Yassin, Ahmed and Malak Ezzedine, and Sara and Mohammed Kinyar, and the six women as Zaineb, Malak, Hadiya, Fadiya and Fatima Ezzedine and Zaina Taleb.

Sheikh Abo Rayya was walking near the house at the time of the strike, according to Ms Hammoud.

“The houses in the village aren’t isolated, they’re very close to one another,” she said, adding that another two men identified by the Facebook account as Rabih Younes and Hussein Saleh were also likely to have been passers-by killed by the explosion.

A relative of Sheikh Abo Rayya told the BBC that strike happened at about 17:10 local time, about 15 minutes after the funeral.

They insisted that the sheikh was not the target, noting that the house had been “obliterated”.

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“Sheikh Abdo was just passing by the house. He wasn’t inside the house. He was on his way to the mosque with his companion. They were going to prayers,” they said.

“The imam was going down the hill and the pressure wave blew him away. He didn’t die immediately. He was injured and died at the hospital around five hours later.”

Last week, the UN human rights office received reports that 12 women and two children were among 23 people killed in an Israeli air strike on a four-storey residential building in the northern Lebanese town of Aitou.

It called for an investigation into the attack, expressing concerns with respect to international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction and proportionality.

The Israeli military said it “struck a target belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation”.

Israel’s launched an air campaign and ground invasion against Hezbollah after almost a year of cross-border fighting sparked by the war in Gaza, saying it wanted to ensure the safe return of tens of thousands of residents of Israeli border areas displaced by rocket attacks.

Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Palestinians on 8 October 2023, the day after its ally Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel.

More than 2,500 people have been killed in Lebanon since then, including 1,900 in the past five weeks, according to the country’s health ministry. Israeli authorities say 59 people have been killed in northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights.

Lebanon local official says 19 killed in Israeli strike on family’s home

BBC

International

Israeli Fire Kills Three UN Peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon

Published

1 day ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Ghanaian UN Peacekeepers Hit by Missile Attack in Lebanon as Iran‑Linked War Escalates

Israeli Fire Kills Three UN Peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon

Three United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in southern Lebanon, with others seriously injured, as clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants intensify. The fatalities, all members of Indonesia’s UNIFIL contingent, mark one of the deadliest attacks on peacekeepers in recent years.

The first incident occurred on Sunday, March 29, when a projectile exploded near a UNIFIL position in Adchit al-Qusayr, killing one peacekeeper and seriously injuring another. Evidence suggests the projectile may have been fired from an Israeli tank, though investigations are ongoing. The following day, two more Indonesian peacekeepers were killed when a logistics convoy vehicle was destroyed by an explosion of unknown origin near Bani Hayyan, leaving additional personnel injured.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killings, calling them “grave violations of international humanitarian law” and emphasizing that “no one should ever have to die while serving the cause of peace.” He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

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The incidents have prompted the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session to address the attacks. Several European countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Belgium, issued a joint statement urging all parties to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel in accordance with international law. South Korea and other nations also condemned the attacks, highlighting the critical need to protect peacekeepers in conflict zones.

The deaths come amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which have involved airstrikes, rocket fire, and ground operations along the Israel-Lebanon border. Civilians in southern Lebanon have been severely affected, with thousands displaced and casualties mounting on both sides.

The Indonesian government has called for a transparent investigation into the deaths of its personnel and stressed the importance of accountability. Meanwhile, UNIFIL continues to operate along the Blue Line, though the recent attacks underscore the growing risks faced by peacekeepers in volatile regions.

Israeli Fire Kills Three UN Peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon

International

Nigerian Man Gets 15-Year US Prison Term for $1.5M Romance Scam

Published

1 day ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigerian national Saheed Sunday Owolabi

Nigerian Man Gets 15-Year US Prison Term for $1.5M Romance Scam

A U.S. federal court has sentenced Nigerian national Saheed Sunday Owolabi to 15 years in prison for orchestrating an international wire fraud and money laundering scheme that defrauded victims of over $1.5 million. The sentence follows his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, highlighting the U.S. government’s crackdown on cross-border cybercrime.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Owolabi was a key figure in a sophisticated online scam in which he posed as a woman to build fake romantic relationships with U.S. victims—a tactic commonly known as a romance scam. Once trust was gained, the victims were persuaded to wire money into accounts controlled by Owolabi, who then laundered the funds to Nigeria.

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Investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that Owolabi and his co-conspirators also used victim-provided accounts to launder money from other fraudulent operations. In one case, a single victim in the Eastern District of North Carolina lost more than $120,000, with many other victims nationwide affected by the scheme.

U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle described Owolabi as a “cheat” and said the sentence underscores the FBI’s commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling international fraud and money-laundering networks targeting American citizens.

The court proceedings, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe, highlighted Owolabi’s role as an organiser in the fraud, using complex money-laundering methods to conceal illicit proceeds. The case is part of broader U.S. enforcement efforts against online fraud, cybercrime, and cross-border financial crimes, particularly schemes leveraging digital platforms to exploit victims.

Authorities say the sentence serves as a strong deterrent to others involved in international scams and demonstrates that sophisticated internet fraud operations will be pursued rigorously, regardless of the perpetrators’ location.

Nigerian Man Gets 15-Year US Prison Term for $1.5M Romance Scam

International

US Warns Iran Against Closing Strait of Hormuz, Cites “Severe Consequences”

Published

2 days ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Strait of Hormuz Crisis - Iran Threatens to Stop Gulf Oil Shipments

US Warns Iran Against Closing Strait of Hormuz, Cites “Severe Consequences”

Washington, D.C. — The United States has issued a strong warning to Iran over any potential move to shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz following ongoing military operations in the region, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioning that such an action would attract “severe consequences.”

Rubio, speaking amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, stressed that the vital waterway must remain open to global shipping, describing any attempt by Iran to block access as unacceptable and destabilising.

“The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway that must remain open,” Rubio said. “If Iran chooses to close it after military operations conclude, it will face serious consequences. The United States will ensure that freedom of navigation is maintained.”

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, serving as a gateway for nearly a fifth of global petroleum supplies. Any disruption to its operations could send shockwaves through international energy markets and significantly impact global trade.

Tensions have escalated in recent days following military developments involving the United States and its regional allies, alongside growing concerns over Iran’s response. Analysts say Tehran has previously hinted at the possibility of leveraging the strait as a strategic pressure point during periods of conflict.

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Security experts warn that a closure of the narrow waterway could trigger a broader regional crisis, potentially drawing in global powers and leading to military confrontations at sea. The U.S. Navy, which maintains a strong presence in the region, has historically conducted operations to safeguard commercial shipping routes.

While Iranian officials have not formally announced any decision to block the strait, past rhetoric from Tehran has included threats to disrupt maritime traffic if its national interests are threatened.

In response, U.S. officials reiterated their commitment to maintaining stability and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of commerce. Rubio emphasised that any move to interfere with international shipping lanes would not only affect the United States but also have far-reaching consequences for the global economy.

Observers note that the warning underscores the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz and highlights the fragile security situation in the Gulf region. With tensions still simmering, diplomatic efforts are expected to continue alongside military preparedness.

As the situation unfolds, the international community remains watchful, with many nations urging restraint to avoid further escalation in an already volatile region.