Israeli strike kills Brazilian factory owner

SAO PAULO, Brazil, July 20 (Reuters) A Brazilian businessman was killed in an Israeli missile attack on a factory he owned in Lebanon, the seventh Brazilian known to have been killed in an eight-day onslaught, Brazil's Agencia Estado reported.

Dib Barakat, a 60-year-old businessman from Sao Paulo, was inside his furniture factory in Sultan Yacob, in the Bekaa Valley, when three missiles struck just after 8 a.m. yesterday, Agencia Estado said.

A witness said the Israeli strike appeared to be prompted by the arrival of truck loaded with wood for the factory. Five other people were wounded.

The Brazilian government estimates about 70,000 Brazilians are in Lebanon. The two countries have close ties because of the huge Lebanese immigrant population in the Latin American country.

Reuters YA GC0435