Lebanon: Israel conducted strike on Rafik Hariri Hospital

“The ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon records a series of daily attacks that affect the Lebanese health sector. The latest of these occurred this evening with the targeting of two major hospitals in the capital and Mount Lebanon,” the ministry said in a statement.

“After the Israeli enemy threatened the Sahel Hospital in the southern suburbs of Beirut, which was still partially operational despite extremely difficult security conditions, a hostile raid hit one of the entrances of Rafik Hariri University Hospital,” the statement noted, adding that the hospital continues to operate normally.

The Israeli strike near the Hariri Hospital killed 13 people, including a child, and injured 57, the ministry said, adding it had caused “significant damage to the hospital”.

Seventeen of the wounded were hospitalized, with seven in critical condition, it noted.

The head of Sahel hospital in Beirut’s southern suburbs has also denied an Israeli claim that Hezbollah buried at least half a billion dollars in gold and cash under the building, as he called on Lebanon’s army to visit the site and debunk the claim.

Israel earlier claimed that Hezbollah had buried funds underneath the hospital.

Hospital director Fadi Alameh told Reuters on Monday that the hospital is evacuating patients, following the claim.

While cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah continued since the Gaza war last October, Tel Aviv escalated its offensive in Lebanon late last month, killing Hezbollah leader Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and many other commanders.

The extensive air attacks, followed by a ground invasion, have killed more than 2,500, injured over 11,500 and displaced around 1.3 million people.