2 Australians killed in Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, says Australia's acting foreign minister

Australia's Acting Foreign Minister Mark Dreyfus says two Australian citizens including an alleged Hezbollah fighter have been killed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon

CANBERRA, Australia -- Two Australian citizens including an alleged Hezbollah fighter were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, Australia’s acting foreign minister said on Thursday.

Ibrahim Bazzi and his brother Ali Bazzi were killed in the airstrike on Tuesday in the town of Bint Jbel in southern Lebanon, Acting Foreign Minister Mark Dreyfus said.

Ibrahim Bazzi had arrived in Lebanon recently from Sydney to accompany his Lebanese wife Shorouq Hammoud to Australia, news media reported. Hammoud, who had recently received an Australian visa, was also killed in the attack.

Their three coffins were draped in the flag of Hezbollah, an ally of the Palestinian Islamist faction Hamas, which is at war with Israel.

Dreyfus said Australia was investigating Hezbollah’s claim that Ali Bazzi was one of its fighters.