Key facts
- Israeli strikes and shelling across southern and eastern Lebanon killed at least 47 people and wounded over 30.
- Four Israeli soldiers were killed in the conflict.
- Hezbollah claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli forces, including destroying three Merkava tanks.
- Iranian officials postponed scheduled talks with the US due to the escalation.
- Villagers returned to find their homes destroyed following the strikes.
Israel launched deadly strikes and shelling across southern and eastern Lebanon early Friday, killing at least 47 people and wounding over 30. The Israeli military announced that four soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah claimed its fighters launched attacks on Israeli forces attempting to advance into Lebanese territory, stating an Israeli military unit was lured into a 'kill zone' where three Merkava tanks were destroyed, and a second unit attempting to retrieve the first group was then targeted.
Israeli leaders vowed to make Hezbollah pay a 'heavy price' for its attacks and stated that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary. Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed this sentiment, saying any violation of the ceasefire by Hezbollah would be met with great force. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for a far more aggressive military response, stating 'all of Lebanon should burn'. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Israel to 'open the gates of hell'.
The escalation comes as US and Iranian officials were due to meet in Switzerland to continue talks regarding a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in France on Wednesday aimed at ending over 100 days of war in the Middle East. Iranian officials had warned that continued Israeli military presence or operations in Lebanon would be considered a violation of the MoU's terms. The Israeli government, not a party to the agreement, has opposed its provisions on Lebanon. Following Israel's latest escalation, Iranian officials postponed their participation in the talks, a move confirmed by the Swiss foreign ministry. Israeli forces conducted at least twelve strikes in southern Lebanon after a ceasefire agreement took effect at 4 PM local time, with the Israeli military stating they maintain 'operational freedom' to respond to threats.
Villagers returned to find their homes and communities destroyed. One villager described his village as rubble, lamenting a lifetime's work gone and the loss of neighbors who had nothing to do with political parties or wars.