Lebanon mourns as seven-month-old baby, 29 other dead bodies recovered from Israeli air strike

First responders have recovered the bodies of 30 victims after an Israeli air strike devastated an apartment building in Barja, a coastal town south of Beirut, Lebanon’s Civil Defence agency reported.

The Tuesday evening attack leveled one side of the four-story building, where many displaced individuals were reportedly sheltering, and sparked a fire that engulfed the area. The Lebanese health ministry initially estimated the death toll at 20 but warned it could increase as recovery efforts continued.

The Israeli military stated it had targeted what it described as “terror infrastructure” belonging to Hezbollah.

Among the 30 bodies recovered, Lebanese officials reported that seven were women, and three were children, including a seven-month-old baby and two young girls. Neighbors said the building was home to displaced families fleeing from other areas impacted by the ongoing conflict.

Reuters reported that residents received no prior warning of the air strike, leaving them with no chance to evacuate before the building was hit.

With no signs of de-escalation, Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Naim Qassem, warned that Israel was “not beyond the reach of our drones and missiles.”

The ongoing hostilities have led to relentless rocket exchanges; Hezbollah reportedly fired around 120 rockets into Israel, with some striking near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.

As the conflict with Israel continues, Lebanese authorities estimate over 2,400 lives lost and more than 1.2 million people displaced across the country since the violence began six weeks ago.