An Israeli strike kills an infant girl in south Lebanon during what should have been a day of mourning for one family already devastated by war. Relatives had returned to bury Aline Saeed’s father in the village of Srifa when another strike hit the family home, killing her infant sister Taleen and other relatives.
The attack happened on Wednesday, the first day of a US-Iran ceasefire that many people in Lebanon had hoped would ease violence there as well. Israeli strikes killed more than 350 people across Lebanon that day alone. Seven-year-old Aline survived with serious injuries. Her grandfather, Nasser Saeed, also lived through the strike and later joined relatives in Tyre to collect the bodies.
Family members said they had returned to the village, believing the ceasefire might bring some safety. Instead, they were caught in a fresh strike while returning home after funeral prayers.
The Israeli military said it lacked sufficient details to investigate the incident. It added that it takes measures to reduce harm to civilians during strikes targeting Hezbollah militants.
The war in Lebanon began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired on Israeli positions in support of Iran. Since then, Israel has escalated its air and ground campaign, killing more than 2,000 people, including 165 children and nearly 250 women.
For Taleen’s family, the loss carried an especially painful symbolism. According to her grandfather, Mohammed Nazzal, she was born in 2024 during an earlier round of clashes between Hezbollah and Israel.
“She was born in the war and died in the war,” he said.
At the hospital, where Aline’s mother Ghinwa was still being treated, relatives described the strike as an unbearable blow. Family members question why civilians suffering in Lebanon do not receive the same global outrage.
Doctors in Tyre said the bombardment has placed severe pressure on emergency services. Dr. Abbas Attiyeh, head of emergency operations at Jabal Amel hospital, said last week’s attacks were among the heaviest in recent years. He added that many of the patients arriving at the hospital were children. One of the main challenges, he said, was handling large numbers of wounded people arriving within the same half-hour or hour.
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Heavy bombardment continued despite diplomatic efforts. Nearly 100 people died on Saturday, while talks between Iran and the United States ended without a breakthrough. Meanwhile, Israel wants to pursue a separate channel with Lebanese officials.
