Israel kills at least 18 in strike on Christian town in north Lebanon

Israel expanded its targets in its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 18 people in an airstrike on the Christian-majority town of Aitou in the north, the Lebanese Red Cross said.

So far, the main focus of Israel’s military operations in Lebanon has been in the south, the Bekaa Valley in the east and the suburbs of Beirut.

The strike in Aitou hit a house that had been rented to displaced families, Aitou mayor Joseph Trad told Reuters. In addition to the deaths, four people were injured, the Red Cross said.

In the south, Israel ordered residents of 25 villages to evacuate to areas north of the Awali River, which flows east to west some 60 km (35 miles) north of the Israeli frontier.
The Israeli military said it had killed Muhammad Kamel Naim, commander of the anti-tank missile unit of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, in a strike in the Nabatieh area of south Lebanon.

Hezbollah did not immediately comment.

The operations come amid tensions between Israel and the U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL in south Lebanon, with Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen on Monday repeating a call by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the U.N. troops to leave.

ISRAEL AT ODDS WITH UN PEACEKEEPERS

Israel and the United Nations have been trading accusations over the peacekeepers, as Israel keeps pushing forces through the area in an attempt to wipe out Iran-backed Hezbollah and its military infrastructure while it also battles Hamas in Gaza.

The U.N. said Israeli tanks had burst into its base on Sunday, the latest allegations of Israeli violations against peacekeeping forces.

Israel disputed the U.N. account and Netanyahu said UNIFIL was providing “human shields” for Hezbollah, an allegation Hezbollah denies.

Meanwhile, the entire Middle East remains on high alert for Israel to retaliate against Iran for an Oct. 1 barrage of long-range missiles launched in response to Israel’s assaults on Lebanon.

The Pentagon said on Sunday it would send U.S. troops to Israel along with an advanced U.S. anti-missile system.