Key facts
- The Israeli military bombarded towns in southern Lebanon, including Hadatha, Barashit, and Bani Hayyan.
- Israeli air strikes on Kfar Roummane killed at least 12 people, including children.
- A residential building in Kfar Roummane was destroyed.
- The Israeli military stated it struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites and "several terrorists" in retaliation for a drone attack.
- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that the escalation jeopardizes a US-brokered ceasefire.
- The Israeli military intensified strikes in southern Lebanon in recent days, targeting areas near its "security zone".
The Israeli military has intensified its bombardment of towns in southern Lebanon, with artillery strikes reported in Hadatha and raids on the outskirts of Barashit on Tuesday, according to Lebanon's National News Agency. Heavy bombing was also reported in Bani Hayyan.
These actions follow a period of heightened Israeli strikes in the region. On September 7, Israeli air strikes on Kfar Roummane killed at least 12 people, including two children and four women, when a three-storey residential building was destroyed. A second strike hit a vehicle carrying paramedics, killing one. The Lebanese health ministry stated that the death toll served as "irrefutable evidence of the grave violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Israeli occupation, targeting medics and children."
The Israeli military said it struck "several Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites" and "several terrorists" transferring weapons in retaliation for drone attacks on its troops. The military added that a claim of "several uninvolved individuals" being harmed was being reviewed. Earlier, on September 6, Al Jazeera reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted areas previously threatened by the Israeli army, including a building in Arab Salim and towns like Nabatieh Fawqa and the outskirts of Kfar Rumman. No figures on casualties or financial damage were released for these specific strikes.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the "dangerous escalation" as jeopardizing a US-brokered ceasefire from June and urged international pressure on Israel to halt the attacks. Residents have been fleeing affected areas, with one resident describing the situation as "terrible" and expressing fear for her children's safety.