Israeli Strikes Damage Hospital in Southern Lebanon as UN Urges Continued Peacekeeping Presence Amid Gaza Crisis
Israeli Strikes Damage Hospital in Southern Lebanon as UN Urges Continued Peacekeeping Presence Amid Gaza Crisis
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Escalating Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon have damaged one of the few functioning hospitals in the region, while the United Nations is weighing options for a continued peacekeeping presence after UNIFIL’s mandate ends. The developments come as Gaza remains under severe humanitarian pressure.
Israeli strikes near Jabal Amel Hospital in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre have caused serious damage to the medical facility, intensifying concerns over the ability of Lebanon’s health system to cope with the continuing conflict.
The World Health Organization said the strikes affected buildings adjacent to the hospital and caused significant damage to parts of the facility, including the emergency department and intensive care unit. Jabal Amel Hospital is considered one of the few hospitals still operating in southern Lebanon, where repeated attacks have placed growing pressure on medical services.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry, according to AFP reporting, said the strikes near the hospital killed four people and wounded 127 others, including doctors, nurses and administrative staff. Images from the scene showed shattered windows, damaged rooms and medical staff attempting to continue operations despite the destruction.
The attack comes amid a broader deterioration in security across southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued exchanging fire despite diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities.
At the United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres has urged that a uniformed UN presence remain in Lebanon after the current mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, expires at the end of 2026. According to reports on his submission to the Security Council, Guterres proposed several options for a future UN force, ranging from nearly 2,000 to more than 5,500 personnel, to help monitor the ceasefire, support the Lebanese army and prevent a security vacuum.
The situation in Lebanon is unfolding alongside continuing instability in Gaza. UN officials have raised concerns over killings of Palestinians near Israel’s “yellow line” armistice boundary in Gaza, warning that civilians may be at risk as restricted zones expand. Humanitarian agencies say many displaced families in Gaza remain crowded into tents or damaged buildings, while access to clean water, sanitation and health services remains severely limited.
