By Kanishka Singh and Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. resident from Dearborn, Michigan, has been killed in Lebanon, the American government said on Wednesday, with the man’s friend and neighbors saying he died in an Israeli airstrike.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Kamel Ahmad Jawad and our hearts go out to his family and friends. His death is a tragedy, as are the deaths of many civilians in Lebanon,” a White House spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, a State Department spokesperson, when asked about reports of an American’s death in Lebanon, said: “It’s our understanding that it was a legal permanent resident, not an American citizen (who got killed in Lebanon) but we obviously offer our sincerest condolences to the family.”
Israel’s recent military campaign in Lebanon has killed hundreds, wounded thousands and displaced over a million. Israel says it is targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
Jawad was in Lebanon taking care of his elderly mother, according to the Detroit News. His friend Hamzah Raza and local Dearborn groups said on social media that Jawad was killed in an Israeli air strike and called him “one of the kindest and most generous humans.”
Reuters was unable to confirm the circumstances of Jawad’s death.
Washington has faced criticism in some quarters for its support of its ally Israel, which is also waging a war in Gaza, including in Dearborn where there is a large Arab American population.