Death toll from Israeli strike on eastern Lebanon rises to 10, over 30 injured

The death toll from an Israeli airstrike that hit a building in the town of Riyaq in Baalbek district, eastern Lebanon, rose to 10, with more than 30 people injured, in a preliminary count, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency NNA.

NNA reported on Friday evening that 10 people were killed, and more than 30 injuries were recorded in a non-final toll following an Israeli strike on a building in Riyaq, adding that search and rescue operations were still ongoing beneath the rubble.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese group Hezbollah announced the death of one of its leaders, Hussein Mohammad Yaghi, following the Israeli strikes on Riyaq.

Earlier on Friday evening, Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes on several areas in the Baalbek district of eastern Lebanon. One of the strikes targeted a building in Riyaq, completely destroying it, according to the agency.

Israeli aircraft also carried out two strikes on the plains of the towns of Qasr Naba and Tamnine al-Tahta in Baalbek, as well as three strikes on the Shaara area along the foothills of the eastern Lebanon mountain range.

On Saturday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that the ongoing Israeli attacks “constitute a blatant hostile act aimed at undermining diplomatic efforts undertaken by Lebanon with sisterly and friendly countries, foremost among them the United States, to consolidate stability and halt Israeli hostilities against Lebanon.”

Aoun said the raids “represent a new violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and a clear breach of international obligations,” adding that they reflect “a disregard for the will of the international community, particularly UN resolutions calling for full compliance with Resolution 1701 and its complete implementation.”

He renewed his call on countries sponsoring regional stability to “assume their responsibilities to immediately halt the attacks and exert pressure to ensure respect for international resolutions, in a manner that preserves Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, and spares the region further escalation and tension.”

The latest attacks came amid repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, killing and wounding hundreds of Lebanese. Israel continues to occupy five Lebanese hilltops seized during the latest war, in addition to other Lebanese areas it has held for decades.

* Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.