On Friday, September 27th, 2024, an alleged Israeli airstrike reportedly  struck an Islamic Health Authority ambulance, killing one paramedic, Ahmed Ali Hussein Youssef Raslan. The strike occurred in the town of Deir Serayan in the Marjayoun District, Southern Lebanon.

Early reports referred to a number of strikes on different Islamic Health Authority sites. For instance, AlMada and Anadolu Agency, both cited the Lebanese News Agency, noting that air strikes had “targeted the civil defence centres and dispensary of the Islamic Health Authority in the towns of Taybeh and Deir Saryan.” Other sources, including Al Araby (@alaraby__Brk), reported that a total of three “civil defence centres” were attacked.

Among the incidents referenced above was a strike on an Islamic Health Authority center in Taybeh where at least 12 paramedics were reportedly killed. This incident has been recorded separately (ISLB270924w).

A Facebook post shared by Garage Hassan Fakih included a video montage showing Ali and another paramedic, Ahmed Raslan, driving in an ambulance. The video then cuts to another clip, showing the bombed-out ambulance, with images of Ahmed and seemingly Ali taped to the vehicle’s burnt exterior. Garage included in the post’s caption: “Martyr Ahmed Raslan 💔🕊️ Wounded Martyr Ali Youssef Fakih 💔🕊️.” However, researching the two men, Airwars was able to find that Ali was injured in the incident in Taybeh (ISLB270924w). However, those who posted in honour and memory of Ahmed Raslan – including Garage – indicated that Ahmed was killed in Deir Siryan. As such, his death has been recorded in this incident.

Friends and relatives, including Fadi M Reslan, Ali Safadi, and Sada Odaisseh-three shared to Facebook in Ahmed’s honour. Fadi and Ali both shared pictures of Ahmed in a yellow day-glo vest with the Islamic Health Authority’s logo featuring prominently over his left breast. Sada Odaisseh-three wrote: “With immense pride and honor, the town of Adissa mourns the martyr Ahmed Ali Hussein Youssef Raslan.” Sada’s post specified that Ahmed was killed in an Israeli strike on “the Islamic Health Authority center in the town of Deir Siryan.”

Noted above, Ahmed served as a paramedic and was affiliated with the Islamic Health Authority. A Facebook post shared by the ‘Civil Defense Authority / Jabal Amel’ account named a number of “martyred paramedics,” including Ahmed. The other named individuals were connected to incident ISLB270924w. The logo for the Islamic Health Authority is included at the top of a a collage which pictures and names the paramedics.

The Islamic Health Authority is a civil defense group that is associated with Hezbollah. While Hezbollah operates an active militant wing, their political presence is also deeply enmeshed within the state, providing social and organisational services, primarily in the Shia’a majority areas in Southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and the suburbs of Beirut. With this context in mind, and given that there are no indications of militant activities, Ahmed’s affiliation with the Islamic Health Authority – and work as a paramedic – cannot be used to determine if he was affiliated with Hezbollah’s armed wing. As such, Ahmed has been recorded as a civilian.

Where sources named a belligerent, all attributed responsibility to the Israeli military.