Pope Leo XIV expressed his closeness to the people of Lebanon on Sunday, saying there was a "moral obligation" to protect them while calling on warring parties to seek peace.
"I am closer than ever, in these days of sorrow, fear, and unconquerable hope in God, to the beloved Lebanese people," the pope told the crowd at St. Peter's Square following his Regina Coeli prayer, citing "a moral obligation to protect the civilian population from the atrocious effects of war."
An Israeli strike on Sunday morning hit a home of seven people in the Lebanese town of Maaroub, the state-run National News Agency reported.
The strike came without warning, and Israel did not immediately comment on it.
Israel’s government has said its strikes target operatives or infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah.
Israeli strikes over Beirut have decreased in recent days, but its attacks on southern Lebanon have intensified alongside a ground invasion.
