Israeli planes pound Lebanese village, at least 23 killed

Israeli military planes pounded a farm near a Lebanese village close to the Lebanon-Syria border on Friday, killing at least 23 people, local media reported.

The reports cited police and rescue sources as saying that Israeli aircraft struck the farm near the northeastern Lebanese village of Qaa, which is close to Lebanon's border with Syria.

The raid took place when a group of farm workers were loading vegetable into a refrigerated warehouse, killing at least 23 farm workers including Syrians and wounding over 10 others, said the reports.

The wounded were evacuated to a Syrian hospital, said the reports, adding that the number of casualties could rise further as several people were feared to be still buried under the rubble.

Earlier in the day, Israel launched intense airstrikes on southern Beirut and destroyed four bridges north of the Lebanese capital.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said that over 900 Lebanese were killed and 3,000 others wounded in the massive Israeli offensive which was launched on July 12 following the abduction of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanon's Hezbollah guerillas.

Over 70 Israelis have also been killed in the 24 days of fighting.

Source: Xinhua