Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon killed nine people, targeting the towns of Jibchit, Toul, and Harouf. The attacks, which occurred recently, also involved three deadly Israeli strikes on medics, resulting in the deaths of four paramedics and wounding six others. Among those killed in the strikes were members of medical and rescue teams operating in the region.
Deadly Ambulance Attacks Detailed
Israeli forces attacked two ambulances, first striking one and subsequently targeting the other as it arrived to provide assistance. The initial two ambulances were reportedly destroyed, with their tires blown and windows shattered. Reports indicated a barrage of fire hit one ambulance as medical workers administered first aid to two colleagues, who were covered in blood, with one taking shallow breaths through an oxygen mask, less than six minutes after their arrival. Six of the eight crew members were covered in blood and found either on the road or in the back of one vehicle.
According to reports, a paramedic in one of the driver’s seats, bleeding from his abdomen, cradled a colleague in his lap, urging him to remain conscious. As team leader Mahdi Abu Zaid ran to close the doors, the vehicles were again attacked. The three ambulances were left peppered with shrapnel, and the asphalt was stained with blood. Accounts of the incident reportedly matched footage captured by a GoPro camera worn by one of the paramedics. Abu Zaid was later pronounced dead upon arrival at al-Najda Hospital.
Broader Context of Attacks
Such attacks became a contentious issue during the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war, with Israel accusing Hezbollah of using Lebanese hospitals as cover for fighter activities. Hezbollah and the Lebanese Health Ministry have denied these claims. Humanitarian agencies reported an average of two health workers killed daily in this conflict before a recent truce. The Lebanese Health Ministry has documented at least 100 medical workers killed since Israel initiated its bombing campaign and ground invasion in Lebanon in retaliation for Hezbollah firing missiles across the border on March 2, following initial Israeli and United States strikes against Iran. Dozens of paramedics from both groups have been killed in the past six weeks of fighting. Last month, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the main Islamic Health Committee clinic in Jibsheet, near Nabatiyeh, one of 59 primary health care centers shuttered due to Israeli attacks, according to the World Health Organization. This week, Israeli strikes hit Lebanon’s Tebnine Government Hospital twice in three days, wounding 11 medical workers, damaging the emergency department and pharmacy, and ruining critical equipment like ventilators and monitors.
Calls for Accountability
The Israeli army has issued a new warning for residents to evacuate 16 villages in southern Lebanon. The United Nations’ human rights office stated it was “shocked” and cautioned that intentionally targeting medics constituted a war crime. Mohammed Suleiman, the chief paramedic for Nabatiyeh Emergency Services, reported that his 16-year-old son, Joud, was killed with a fellow paramedic in an Israeli strike on their motorcycle on March 24. These were the unit’s first casualties since its founding in 2002. Two ambulances slowed to a stop outside the village of Mayfadoun in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. After a third attack, a fourth team of rescuers dispatched by the Islamic Health Committee and the Risala Scout Association finally reached the stranded medics and evacuated the wounded without being targeted. Rescuers later hauled Abu Zeid’s mangled ambulance to a public square in Nabatiyeh, hoping it would serve as a reminder. Suleiman remarked, "This war is different than all the other wars. I always had my fears, but I believed that as a neutral organization with no connection to politics, we would be safe, off-limits."