A Greek Orthodox church in Israel was hit by a Hezbollah anti-tank missile on Tuesday.
Confirmed by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Iqrit, northern Israel was directly hit by the missile from Lebanon, injuring a civilian.
“The attack is not only a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 but also a violation of the freedom of worship,” the IDF said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter.
It is being reported by The Times of Israel that the moderately injured civilian was a man in his 80s, and that nine IDF soldiers were also wounded in a follow up attack.
Troops arrived on the scene to evacuate the man when additional missiles were fired, injuring all, with one listed in serious condition and the other eight in light-to-moderate condition.
Hezbollah claim that they were targeting an IDF position near the northern community of Shomera, but the projectile hit the nearby depopulated Palestinian Christian village.
The IDF said it targeted a Hezbollah site in Lebanon in response to the church attack, as well as a building in which the person who launched the missile had fled.
In October, the Monastery of Saint Porphyrius in southern Gaza, a historic Greek Orthodox sanctuary, which was being used as refuge from the Gaza strip bombings was targeted.
The Israeli airstrike resulted in significant damage and the deaths of at least 18 Palestinian Christians.
