A church of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre, Lebanon, was hit by a missile from Israeli airstrikes in the country’s south Oct. 9, killing at least eight people, the British branch of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has reported.
Local sources told ACN that the church, located in the town of Derdghaya, was sheltering people displaced by the conflict. A priest’s house and a three-story building housing parish offices were also completely destroyed by another missile.
Pope Francis called for peace in the Middle East on X, stating that “all nations have the right to exist in peace and security: Their territories must not be attacked, their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through dialogue and peace.” In an additional post on Oct. 11, the pontiff said: “I call for an immediate cease-fire on all fronts of the war in the Middle East, including Lebanon. Let us pray together for the Lebanese, especially for the inhabitants of the south forced to leave their villages, so that they can return as soon as possible and live in peace.”