Geneva, April 16 (SANA) The World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Lebanon’s healthcare sector suffered 133 Israeli attacks since March 2, causing significant casualties and widespread damage to medical facilities.
In a statement on Thursday, Tedros said the attacks have killed 88 people and injured 206 others. At least 15 hospitals and seven primary healthcare centers have been damaged, while five hospitals and 56 health centers closed due to ongoing strikes.
He highlighted severe damage to Tebnin Governmental Hospital in southern Lebanon, one of the region’s busiest facilities, after consecutive airstrikes on April 12 and 14. The attacks injured 11 healthcare workers and damaged the emergency department and critical equipment, including ventilators and monitoring devices, as well as the pharmacy and outpatient clinics.
Tedros added that humanitarian aid access remains heavily restricted, hindering support for affected health facilities; stressing the need to protect hospitals, medical personnel, ambulances, and patients, and to ensure safe and sustained delivery of aid across Lebanon so life-saving services can continue.
Lebanon has seen escalating violence for over a month following attacks by Hezbollah on Israeli positions and subsequent Israeli airstrikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs and areas in the south and Bekaa Valley, resulting in thousands of casualties. The intensity of the attacks has increased since last week’s US-Iran ceasefire announcement, which Israel has said does not apply to Lebanon.
F.J.
