An Israeli airstrike on an apartment in Ain Saadeh, east of Beirut, late Sunday killed a local official of a Christian political party, deepening internal tensions in Lebanon as the conflict with Hezbollah intensifies.
The strike hit a residential building in the predominantly Christian town, leaving three people dead, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
The mayor said the victims were on a floor below the intended target.
The Lebanese Forces Party, a staunchly anti-Hezbollah group, identified two of the dead as Pierre Moawad, a local party official, and his wife, Flavia.
“We are paying a heavy price for a war into which we have been dragged by the lawless organisation Hezbollah,” Lebanese Forces parliamentarian Razi El Hage told broadcaster MTV.
The latest strike comes amid an escalating Israeli campaign launched in response to cross-border fire from Hezbollah. Lebanese authorities say more than 1,460 people have been killed since hostilities intensified.
Israel has expanded air and ground operations across southern and eastern Lebanon and parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, ordering evacuations in multiple areas.
The campaign has displaced over one million people, many from the Shi’ite Muslim community that forms Hezbollah’s core support base.
While some residents in Christian areas fear Hezbollah fighters may be sheltering in civilian neighborhoods, local officials also expressed concerns about sectarian spillover.
Christian lawmaker Nadim Gemayel, an opponent of Hezbollah, warned that Israeli strikes could indirectly fuel tensions by pushing displaced Shi’ite communities into other regions.
No evacuation warning preceded Sunday’s strike. Residents in Ain Saadeh said the targeted apartment appeared unoccupied.
“I’ve been in my house for 20 years, I’ve never even seen this apartment lit. There’s no one in it,” said Antoine Aalam, 70, who lives opposite the building.
The Israeli military confirmed the strike, calling it a “terror target east of Beirut,” and said reports of civilian casualties were under review.
It did not comment on potential sectarian implications.
Earlier strikes on Sunday also hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing five people, including a teenage girl and two Sudanese migrant workers, while another strike in southern Lebanon killed a man and his wife and wounded their two children.
The escalation persisted despite a 2024 ceasefire, with Israeli forces continuing operations in parts of southern Lebanon.
Repeated Lebanese called for a renewed truce remain unanswered.
President Joseph Aoun, in his first televised address since the escalation, warned that preserving national unity is crucial.
“Our primary concern is preserving civil peace, which is a red line,” he said.
