Israeli aircraft conducted a strike this afternoon in the northern Lebanese town of Ayto, located in the Zgharta district. This marks the first time since the outbreak of hostilities that Israeli forces have targeted this district, broadening the scope of their operations beyond southern areas and Beirut. 

The airstrike hit a two-story building housing four apartments that were sheltering displaced individuals from the southern town of Aytaroun and the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The strike leveled the building, resulting in 21 fatalities and four injuries, with several people still missing.

Conflicting reports have emerged as to who was the main target of the strike; Some reports suggest that Hezbollah commander Ahmad Faqih may have been the target, but this information has yet to be confirmed.

According to LBCI sources, the apartment targeted in the Israeli airstrike was rented by a reporter for Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV which, later, denied the news. 

The owner of the targeted building told LBCI that the person who rented the house belongs to the Hijazi family and had accommodated eight families, most of whom are elderly, along with a child. Other information indicates that the  occupants were from the Faqih and Hijazi families.

مسيّرة اسرائيلية تستهدف بغارة منزلا على طريق ايطو - اهدن في شمال لبنان pic.twitter.com/lvTf4LVZ12

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) October 14, 2024