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Funeral held for child and uncle after deadly strike
An 11-year-old boy and his 41-year-old uncle were buried in the southern Lebanese village of Saksakiyeh on Saturday, a day after an Israeli airstrike destroyed their family compound.
Casualties rise amid escalating conflict
Jawad Younes and Ragheb Younes are among the latest victims in Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group. The violence escalated after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel earlier this month, coinciding with the broader conflict between Israel and Iran.
Lebanese health officials report that over 1,100 people have died since the hostilities intensified, with civilians increasingly bearing the brunt of the attacks.
Family denies military ties as grief overwhelms community
Hundreds gathered in Saksakiyeh's town center for the funeral, where women in black robes wept over the bodies. One of the caskets was draped in Hezbollah's yellow flag, reflecting the group's strong support in the predominantly Shia area.
Jawad's mother, Malak Meslmani, sat beside her son's body, tears streaming down her face. "My son is gentle and pure," she told the BBC. "He loved the idea of martyrdom and wanted to join the resistance when he grew up. He wanted to fight the enemy that killed him."
As the procession moved toward the gravesite, the sound of distant Israeli airstrikes echoed, with smoke rising from nearby hills.
Strike hits family home without warning
The attack on the Younes family compound occurred shortly after 1 p.m. (11:00 GMT) on Friday. Jawad's father, Hussein Younes, said his son had been playing football with nine cousins when the strike hit.
Standing amid the ruins of his home, Hussein threw his hands in the air and shouted, "I don't know! I don't know!" when asked why the Israeli military had targeted the house. "If this was a military base, no children would be here," he told the BBC.
Multiple family members and local officials insisted the household had no military ties to Hezbollah. Five people survived the attack, including Jawad's aunt, Zeinab, who was pulled from the rubble with a broken spine and fractured leg. Doctors say she may walk again but will need extensive surgery.
"Before it happened, my husband and I were inside. We didn't see or hear anything. Then I found myself buried under rubble."
Zeinab Younes, Jawad's aunt
Zeinab said there was no warning before the strike, adding that the family would have fled if alerted.
Journalists and paramedics among latest victims
The funerals in Saksakiyeh followed another burial in the same neighborhood, where two children and their mother were laid to rest after being killed in Israeli bombardment.
On Saturday, three Lebanese journalists died in a targeted Israeli strike on their media vehicle. Ali Shoeib, a correspondent for Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV, was killed alongside reporters Fatima Ftouni and Mohamed Ftouni from Al Mayadeen, their employers said.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Shoeib's death, labeling him a "terrorist" from Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force who had "operated for years under the guise of a journalist." The IDF provided no evidence for the claim and did not comment on the deaths of Fatima or Mohamed Ftouni.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike as a "brazen crime" that violated protections for journalists during war. The Committee to Protect Journalists has accused Israel of repeatedly killing media professionals while alleging militant ties without credible evidence.
Later that day, an Israeli airstrike killed five paramedics in the town of Zoutar. Human rights groups warn that Israel's repeated attacks on healthcare workers in Lebanon could constitute war crimes.
Humanitarian crisis deepens as violence persists
Since March 2, Israeli airstrikes have pounded towns and villages across Lebanon, while ground forces advance in the south. Israel claims its operations target Hezbollah, but civilians are frequently among the dead.
The UN's refugee agency warned on Friday that Lebanon faces a worsening humanitarian crisis, with over one million people displaced. The country remains trapped in a cycle of violence, as both Israel and Hezbollah vow to continue fighting despite the mounting toll.
For survivors like the Younes family, the conflict has only strengthened their resolve. "We are not afraid of war because we are not afraid of death," said Ali, Zeinab's son.
