Beirut: An Israeli strike hit an east Lebanon town as an aid convoy drove through it Tuesday, injuring one of its drivers, a governor and the state news agency said.
The governor of Baalbek, Bachir Khodr, on X reported 鈥渁n Israeli strike very close to an aid convoy as it drove through the town of Ain鈥� on its way to Ras Baalbek.
He posted a picture from the back window of the car he was in, showing a huge column of smoke billowing up into the sky dozens of meters (yards) behind it.
鈥淭he driver of the truck driving directly behind us was injured,鈥� he added.
Israeli strikes hit Ain during 鈥渢he passage of a convoy consisting of three trucks鈥� heading toward the town of Ras Baalbek, said the National News Agency (NNA).
鈥淥ne of the aid trucks heading to Ras Baalbek was damaged as a result of the blowback of the strike in Ain, which led to the injury of the truck driver.鈥�
Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh told AFP that the convoy was carrying 鈥渉umanitarian aid from the Lebanese government.鈥�
It 鈥渨as traveling to the area accompanied by the Lebanese Red Cross with agreement from the United Nations,鈥� he said.
The convoy was made up of five trucks, and carried aid from several countries including the United Arab Emirates and Turkiye.
Two had previously unloaded goods in Baalbek, NNA said.
Almost a year of cross-border fire, Israel on September 23 increased its strikes against Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in south and east Lebanon, as well as the capital鈥檚 southern suburbs.
The escalation has killed more than 1,300 people, according to an AFP tally of official figures.