Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least seven people and wounded around 20 on Sunday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, in the latest escalation despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah.
The strikes hit several locations in the south, including Arab Salim and areas around Nabatieh. Two women were among those killed in Arab Salim, while three people were killed in a separate Israeli drone strike on Nabatieh al-Tahta, Lebanese authorities said. Children were also among those injured.
Israel said the strikes were carried out in response to Hezbollah drone attacks targeting Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said it struck weapons storage facilities, Hezbollah infrastructure and a command center, including a building that it said had previously operated as a hospital. Israel also said it used precision weapons and aerial surveillance to reduce the risk to civilians.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attacks as a “dangerous escalation”, accusing Israel of striking civilian institutions and health facilities. He called on the United States and the international community to intervene immediately to halt the attacks and prevent further escalation.
The violence underscores the fragility of the ceasefire reached in June. Israel continues to operate within a self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has continued to oppose Israeli military control of territory and has rejected aspects of U.S.-mediated negotiations.
With both sides maintaining sharply different accounts of the fighting, fears are growing that renewed exchanges could further undermine the ceasefire and trigger a broader escalation along the Israel-Lebanon border.