Video filmed by China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Thursday showed the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, with official sources confirming that Israeli attacks had killed at least 24 people during the day.
Lebanon's Health Ministry said in a statement early in the day that in an initial toll, nine people, including two children and five women, were killed and 23 were wounded in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon.
Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported later on Thursday that at least 15 people were killed and several others wounded in Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon in the afternoon, including a family of four killed when a home was struck in the village of Jibchit.
Hezbollah said it had carried out retaliatory attacks, targeting two Israeli Merkava tanks in Bint Jbeil with attack drones and striking a gathering of Israeli soldiers with a swarm of drones.
Israel's military said that a Hezbollah drone attack had killed an Israeli soldier in southern Lebanon on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that a separate Hezbollah drone attack wounded 12 Israeli soldiers near the border.
Lebanon's Health Ministry said 2,586 people had been killed and 8,020 wounded in Israeli attacks since March 2.
Thursday's violence came despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that took effect at midnight between April 16 and 17, following weeks of intensified cross-border fighting linked to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
At least 24 killed in Israeli airstrikes on south Lebanon
A major cultural and tourism trade promotion event was held in Beijing on Wednesday, connecting Chinese creative industries with international partners.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the event "The Finest Cultural Gifts from China," with a special session on "Connecting Cultures, Going Global. " The event attracted ambassadors and diplomats from 14 countries and regions, as well as senior officials from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
More than 30 organizations and companies showcased offerings ranging from creative cultural products and intangible heritage crafts to cultural and technological innovation and cross-border commerce.
The event provided a platform for live demonstrations, matchmaking, and negotiations, creating more opportunities for cultural and tourism enterprises aiming to expand internationally. It underscores the unique value and huge potential of Chinese cultural products and services in global trade.
"This event has been tremendously helpful for us in building our reputation, developing our brand, and expanding our customer base. It really supports our efforts in both bringing Chinese culture to the world and inviting global tourists to China," said Fu Yao, an exhibitor.
The "Finest Cultural Gifts from China" program brings together Chinese and international companies, traders, cross-border e-commerce, and media to build an effective trading platform for top-quality products and enterprises. Since its launch in 2022, the initiative has held 18 editions in China and abroad, featuring topics from fashion and creative living to time-honored heritage brands, and has achieved strong results, according to its organizers.
Beijing hosts cultural tourism trade event to connect with global markets
