Six rescuers, soldier killed in Bekaa's Sohmor, South's Wazzani

Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike Monday killed six rescuers with the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee in the Bekaa Valley in the country's east.

An "enemy strike on the civil defense center of the Islamic Health Committee killed six emergency personnel and wounded four others" in the town of Sohmor, the ministry in a statement, condemning Israel's "targeting of rescue services".

- Army soldier killed -

A Lebanese army soldier was killed after he was injured Monday when a motorcycle was targeted by an Israeli airstrike as it crossed an army checkpoint in the southern area of Wazzani, a Lebanese security official said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to reporters, said that at least 11 Lebanese army soldiers have been killed and 20 injured — most of them off duty and in their homes — since the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began nearly a year ago.

The Lebanese army, which has a limited arsenal and has been struggling to maintain its forces and equipment due to a protracted economic crisis, has so far stood on the sidelines in the fighting. It is not clear how the army would react if Israel launched a threatened ground invasion into Lebanon.

- Weekend Sidon strike kills 45 -

An Israeli strike a day earlier near the southern city of Sidon killed 45 people, raising an earlier toll.

In a statement, the health ministry announced "45 dead and 70 wounded in an updated toll for the Israeli enemy attack on Ain al-Delb" on Sunday, while the official National News Agency said the strike targeted a building which completely collapsed.