Four Thai nationals killed near Israel-Lebanon border

Four Thai nationals were killed and one was injured by Hezbollah rocket fire near the town of Metula, close to border between Lebanon and Israel, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa posted on the social media platform X on Friday.

Israel's Channel 12 said an Israeli farmer was also killed in the attack.

Two other Israeli nationals were killed by shrapnel from a rocket volley in a suburb of the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, said Magen David Adom, Israel’s main emergency medical organization.

Last year, 41 Thais were among the 1,200 people killed when Hamas militants launched an attack across Israeli borders, according to Israeli authorities.

Thirty Thai nationals were abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, and six are believed to still be in captivity, according to Thai authorities.

The Israeli response to the attack has since laid waste to the Palestinian territory of Gaza and killed tens of thousands of people. Israel has also launched attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Before the conflict, about 30,000 Thai nationals worked in Israel, mostly in the agriculture sector, making up one of the largest groups of migrant workers in Israel.

"Thailand continues to strongly urge all parties to return to the path of peace, in the name of the innocent civilians gravely impacted by this prolonged and deepening conflict," Thai foreign minister Maris said.