2024 Sahel Alma airstrike

2024 Sahel Alma airstrike
Part of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon
Sahel Alma Location within Lebanon
Location	Sahel Alma, Jounieh, Lebanon
Date	19 October 2024
Target	Car
Attack type	Airstrikes, Massacre
Deaths	2
Perpetrator	Israel Defense Forces

On 19 October 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an airstrike on a car in the village of Sahel Alma, part of the city of Jounieh, as part of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. ^[1] A man and his wife ran out of the car and into a nearby field before being killed by another strike. ^{[2] [3]}

This was the first time that the predominantly Christian city of Jounieh was struck since the war began. ^{[1] [4] [5]}

Airstrike

On the morning of 19 October 2024, an Israeli drone targeted a Honda sports utility vehicle driving on the main highway from Byblos to Jounieh in Sahel Alma. The drone hit the car causing it to lose control before it stopped 100 meters down the highway where a man and woman, reported to be husband and wife, ran out of the car and into a field on the side of the highway before being killed in another blast. ^{[2] [1]}

A witness saw the charred remains of one of the persons in the field. ^[2]

It was reported that there were three rocket strikes in the attack. ^[1]

Reactions

A member of the Jounieh municipality, Fadi Fayad, stated that "It seems they were coming from Jbeil toward Jounieh at the time of the strike...We urge citizens to be vigilant and responsible and to inform the municipality of any new leasing operations (new individuals renting apartments) to maintain the security of the area, as no area can be considered safe." ^[1]

The Lebanese National News Agency has referred to the two killed as martyrs. ^[6]

References

1. L'Orient Today staff (19 October 2024). "Two killed in Israeli strike on Sahel Alma, on Beirut-Jounieh highway". today.lorientlejour.com. L’Orient-Le Jour.
2. "Lebanon says two killed in Israeli strike in Jounieh north of Beirut". english.alarabiya.net. Al Arabiya Network. 19 October 2024.
3. "Two Killed in Morning Raid on Sahel Alma Highway, Chtaura Hit Again". thisisbeirut.com.lb. This is Beirut. 19 October 2024.
4. "Israeli airstrike targets vehicle north of Beirut, killing two". shafaq.com. Shafaq News. 19 October 2024.
5. "5 قتلى بغارات إسرائيلية على جونية وجنوب لبنان". aljazeera.net. شبكة الجزيرة الاعلامية. 19 October 2024.
6. "Drone pursued the two martyrs after they managed to escape in the forest adjacent to Jounieh highway". www.nna-leb.gov.lb. National News Agency. 19 October 2024.