Lebanese Red Cross Reports 18 Fatalities from Israeli Airstrike in Aito
October 14, 2024, 5:27 pm

Lebanese Red Cross Reports 18 Fatalities from Israeli Airstrike in Aito

قوات إسرائيلية

The Lebanese Red Cross announced on Monday that 18 individuals have been killed and others injured in an Israeli airstrike on the predominantly Christian region of Aito in northern Lebanon. Rescue operations and debris removal are still underway.

As tensions continue to escalate in southern Lebanon, a series of earlier Israeli airstrikes targeted the towns of "Ali al-Nahri," "Masa," and "Brital" in the Bekaa Valley. These attacks follow a surge in hostilities, with Hezbollah declaring on Monday that it launched missiles at a military barracks in central Israel and carried out a "qualitative" missile strike on a naval base near Haifa, following a drone attack which resulted in the deaths of at least four soldiers.

Hezbollah stated in a press release that its fighters executed a "qualitative missile barrage on the Stella Maris naval base northwest of Haifa," just hours after threatening further attacks if Israel continued its "aggression against our people."

Additionally, Hezbollah reported on Monday that it targeted Israeli soldiers within the border town of Maroun al-Ras in southern Lebanon, where Israel has been conducting "limited" ground operations since late September.

In a statement, Hezbollah indicated that its fighters struck "a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in southern Maroun al-Ras with artillery shells," following prior announcements regarding their targeting of soldiers and countering "infiltration attempts" at various border locations.

Earlier, correspondents from "Al Arabiya" and "Al Hadath" reported rocket fire towards Haifa and its vicinity. The Israeli military confirmed that it detected a rocket launched from Lebanon towards Haifa, which landed in an open area, while Hezbollah asserted that it targeted an Israeli force during an infiltration attempt into southern Lebanon.

While the Lebanese news agency reported a series of airstrikes on the towns of Yahr al-Shuqif and Ma'aroub in the south, "Channel 12" in Israel reported intercepting rockets launched from Lebanon towards the Galilee, with some landing in open areas.

Before these developments, our correspondent reported intense clashes between Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli army in the Markabah area of southern Lebanon. He noted that Hezbollah fighters also foiled infiltration attempts by units of the Israeli army in areas including Labouna and Khalat al-Tafah, using missiles and heavy weaponry, as per a statement issued following the clashes.

The Israeli military announced the deaths of four soldiers resulting from a drone attack that originated from southern Lebanon, targeting a military base near Benyamina, south of Haifa. An Israeli military spokesperson revealed that there are seven individuals with severe injuries.

Unprecedented Breach: Hezbollah's Devastating Drone Attack on Israeli IDF Base Raises Alarms After Hezbollah's Strike... Questions Arise About the Effectiveness of Israeli Air Defense Systems

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”