Australian brothers killed in Israeli air strike in Lebanon

A Sydney man, his wife and his brother have been killed in a reported Israeli air strike as the Israel-Gaza war migrates to Lebanon.

An Australian man, his wife and his brother have been killed after an Israeli war plane reportedly fired at buildings in a Lebanese border town.

Ibrahim Bazzi, 27, reportedly arrived in Lebanon from Sydney a few days ago to visit his wife, Shorouk Hammoud, in the town of Bint Jbeil, about five kilometres from the Israeli border.

The couple married in Lebanon three years ago and Ms Hammoud had recently obtained an Australian visa, with the plan of joining her husband in Australia to start a new life together, according to the ABC.

Both Mr Bazzi and Ms Hammoud were reportedly killed in the strike, along with Ibrahim’s brother, Ali, who was 30.

Ali Bazzi was also raised in Australia but moved to Lebanon to get married several years ago.

According to AFP, Hezbollah — an Iranian backed Islamic militant group that opposes Israel — ­said Ali was one of its ­fighters and described him as a martyr.

There is no suggestion that the younger brother, Ibrahim Bazzi, or his wife were affiliated with the group.

Ibrahim (left) and Ali (right) Bazzi both died in air strikes, as well as Ibrahim’s wife.

National News Agency, a publication owned by the Lebanese government, reported the air strike came from an Israeli war plane that fired a missile at homes in Bint Jbeil.

Those claims have not been independently verified.

Israel’s military has confirmed it had been striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in response to what it says are rockets and missiles being fired into northern Israel.

Hezbollah is separate from Lebanon’s own army which Israel has not been targeting.

His family remembered Ibrahim as a “beautiful boy”.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was aware of reports of two Australian citizens who had died in Lebanon and was seeking to verify the claims.

The Brothers’ reported deaths would make them the first Australians to be killed in Lebanon since the start of the Gaza conflict.

The Bazzi’s uncle, Mohamed Kahmees, described Ibrahim as “a beautiful boy”.

“He went to get his wife from Lebanon for a better life … and then this happened,” he said.

“I’m really in a state of shock still.”

Australia’s Smartraveller website states there is a possibility of an increase in armed conflict in Lebanon that could affect wider parts of the country.

“Daily military action is occurring in southern Lebanon, including rocket and missile fire, as well as air strikes,” it states.

“The situation could escalate quickly.”