Key facts
- Israeli artillery and airstrikes have targeted multiple locations in southern Lebanon.
- Recent strikes have resulted in civilian casualties, including children.
- The attacks occurred despite a June ceasefire and a subsequent extension.
- The Israeli military claims the strikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure.
- Lebanese officials and Hezbollah have condemned the attacks and warned of retaliation.
Israeli artillery and airstrikes have continued to target southern Lebanon, striking towns and villages including Hula, Mansouri, Buyout Al-Sayyad, Ansar, Deir al-Zahrani, and Tayr Falsayh. The attacks have resulted in civilian casualties, with reports indicating at least 11 people killed, including three children, and 19 injured in two separate airstrikes on Saturday. These strikes represent the deadliest toll since a June ceasefire aimed at reducing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
One strike on a home in Ansar flattened the building, while another in Deir al-Zahrani caused significant damage. An Israeli drone also targeted a motorcycle in Nabatieh. The Israeli military stated that the strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Ansar and Nabatieh area were in response to Hezbollah fighters attacking soldiers in the Ali Taher area, which Israel claims hosts underground command and control centers.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks, calling them "extremely dangerous" and stating that the civilian casualties were not military targets. Hezbollah also condemned the strikes, vowing an "appropriate response" and accusing the Lebanese government of making concessions. The latest escalation comes despite a US-brokered framework deal between Lebanon and Israel agreed upon in June, which included provisions for Hezbollah's disarmament and Israeli withdrawal.
Intermittent Israeli strikes have continued to occur, causing casualties and demolishing civilian buildings. The valley between Ansar and Zarariyeh was reportedly targeted, marking a strike at a geographical depth not seen since the ceasefire. Israeli warplanes also struck the Ali al-Taher ridge, and homes were reportedly detonated in Bint Jbeil near the border.
Despite a recent 45-day extension of a ceasefire deal, Israeli aircraft have continued to bomb southern Lebanon. These recent attacks have killed at least three people in Tayr Falsayh and a husband and wife in Haboush. An Israeli officer was also reported killed in a drone strike. Since March 2, when fighting resumed, Lebanon's health ministry reports over 2,900 killed and over 9,100 wounded. Israeli attacks have killed over 500 people since the truce was announced on April 16. Additionally, Israeli forces have issued new displacement orders for nine villages in southern Lebanon near Sidon and Nabatieh.