Israel-Hamas War: An Indian national was killed and two others were injured when an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon struck an orchard close to Israel's northern border community of Margaliot, officials said. All three victims hail from the southern state of Kerala. According to Zaki Heller, a spokesman for rescue services Magen David Adom (MDA), the missile struck a plantation in Margaliot, a moshav (collective agricultural community) in the Galilee region of northern Israel, on Monday at around 11:00 AM.

The Indian national who died in the anti-tank missile attack was identified as Patnibin Maxwell, a native of Kollam in Kerala. His mortal remains were identified in Ziv hospital, news agency PTI reported citing official sources. Injured people were identified as Bush Joseph George and Paul Melvin.

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"George was taken to the Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva after suffering injuries on face and body. He underwent an operation, is recovering well, and has been kept under observation. He could speak with his family in India," an official source told PTI. Meanwhile, Melvin, who is from the Iduki district of Kerala, was slightly injured and was hospitalized at Ziv Hospital in the northern Israeli city of Safed.

The strike is believed to have been carried out by the Hezbollah group in Lebanon, which has been supporting Hamas during the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip by launching rockets, missiles, and drones at northern Israel on a daily basis since October 8. According to MDA, a total of eight casualties were reported of which one was killed and two others in critical condition.

On Monday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said they had responded by shelling the launch site with artillery. It struck a Hezbollah compound where members of the group were gathered in the southern Lebanon town of Chihine, and another site belonging to Hezbollah in Ayta ash-Shab, the IDF said.

Since October 8, Hezbollah has been attacking Israeli villages and military installations in the north, claiming the operations are in support of Gaza. 10 IDF troops and seven civilians have died as a result of the battles between Israel and Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has named 229 members who Israel has killed during recent flare-ups. Most of the casualties on the Hezbollah side happened in Lebanon but also some in Syria.

(With Agency Inputs)