Israel continues deadly strikes on southern Lebanon, with many women and children among the 15 people killed in the latest attacks in Sarafand and Haret Saida near Sidon city.

    At least 143 Palestinian people were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, with 132 of those killed in the besieged north of the war-torn territory, medical sources told Al Jazeera.

    Media in Israel report that at least 33 Israeli soldiers have been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon since the start of the month amid Israel’s ground offensive into Lebanese territory.

    In Gaza, at least 43,061 people have been killed and 101,223 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks and more than 200 were taken captive.

    In Lebanon, at least 2,787 people have been killed and 12,772 wounded in Israeli attacks since the war on Gaza began, with 77 killed in strikes across the country on Tuesday alone.

    Residents of Lebanon’s Sidon say Israel gave no warning before deadly attack

    We’ve been covering an Israeli attack on the suburb of Haret Saida on the outskirts of Sidon which killed at least seven people.

    People there say the Israeli military gave no warning before the assault on Tuesday night.

    “We were sitting and all of a sudden, we heard a missile. When it hit the building, it came down, then a second missile hit and a second building came down and the one next to it too,” said Ahmed al-Teryaqi, a resident of Sidon. “They have no mercy and no faith.”

    Lebanese health officials say the Israeli attack also wounded more than 20 people.

    As we’ve been reporting, Israeli forces also went on to attack the southern Lebanese town of Sarafand, killing at least 10 others.

    UN’s Middle East envoy condemns ‘appalling’ Israeli attack on Beit Lahiya

    Tor Wennesland said he was appalled by Israel’s attack that killed at least 93 people, including 25 children, in Beit Lahiya early on Tuesday.

    “This horrific strike is yet another in a deadly series of recent mass casualty incidents, alongside a massive displacement campaign, in the north of Gaza that raises serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law,” the UN’s envoy for the Middle East Peace Process said in a statement.

    “I unequivocally condemn the widespread killing and injury of civilians in Gaza, and the endless displacement of the population in Gaza,” he said. “This endless spiral of death and destruction must end immediately”.

    As we’ve been reporting, Israel has continued its bombardment of Beit Lahiya despite the condemnation, killing at least 19 others in a fresh attack late on Tuesday.

    Austria’s FM in call with Lebanese counterpart after attack on Austrian UN peacekeepers

    Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has spoken to his Lebanese counterpart following the wounding of eight Austrian peacekeepers in a rocket strike on their UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) base near Israel’s northern border.

    While Israel’s military has been responsible for several attacks on UNIFIL bases and peacekeepers over recent weeks, it was unclear who was behind the strike that lightly wounded the Austrians on Tuesday.

    Schallenberg called for the “security of all blue helmets” in Lebanon after speaking with Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Bou Habib, noting in a post on social media that the protection of UN peacekeepers is an “obligation” under international law.

    The Austrian minister also called on Hezbollah to “immediately cease its attacks on Israel” and abide by UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and requires the redeployment of all armed groups away from the southern border with Israel, except for the Lebanese army.