At least eight people have died following a missile attack on a church in Lebanon.
According to local Christian sources, the church was sheltering individuals displaced by Israeli airstrikes at the time of the attack. The airstrikes led to the collapse of the church as well as two adjoining halls that were being used as refuge spaces.
Additionally, the attack resulted in the destruction of a priest's house and a three-story building containing parish offices. The church is situated within the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre.
Over the past three weeks, Christians in Lebanon have been providing shelter for refugees since Israel began its offensive against Hezbollah.
Maronite Archbishop Hanna Rahmé of Baalbek-Deir El-Ahmar, located in the Beqaa Valley, informed Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that Christian families within his archdiocese have welcomed both Christian and Muslim refugees into their homes, noting that Muslims fleeing the bombardments “are enormously touched by this Christian solidarity.”
He added, “Each of the Christian families in the villages around Deir El-Ahmar has welcomed three or four displaced families, that is, between 30 and 60 people.”
While expressing concern for the situation, he stated, “We are choked by the number of internally displaced people, but we can't leave them to their fate – we are not Christians just for ourselves, but for everyone.”
The archdiocese has had to increase its support for families hosting refugees, as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are primarily focused on assisting displaced individuals taking shelter in schools.
The Archbishop described the situation as “critical” and emphasized that the need for food, mattresses, and blankets is urgent. ACN has been providing practical support for emergency projects in Lebanon in response to the escalating conflict.
