Deadly Israeli Strike Kills Seven in Southern Lebanon Amid Escalating Overnight Attacks

An Israeli air strike resulted in the deaths of seven individuals and left three others wounded in southern Lebanon, state media reported, as Israel escalated its attacks across multiple towns and villages during the night. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), the strike targeted a house situated on the outskirts of Ansar, located in the Nabatieh district, early Saturday morning, completely destroying the structure.

Emergency rescue teams representing the Islamic Message Scout Association, the Islamic Health Authority, and Lebanon’s Civil Defence mobilized to clear the rubble and transport both the casualties and the injured to hospitals situated in Nabatieh, the agency stated. This incident marks the deadliest reported Israeli attack in Lebanon since agreements established in June significantly lowered hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

Regarding the broader wave of violence across southern Lebanon, NNA reported that Israeli assaults intensified early Saturday, featuring a succession of air strikes directed at the Ali al-Taher Ridge near Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Two additional strikes impacted locations near the teachers’ training centre and the Husseini club in Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Furthermore, the valley positioned between Ansar and Zarariyeh was targeted in what the agency characterized as the deepest strike into southern Lebanon since the ceasefire enacted two months prior.

In areas positioned nearer to the border, Israeli forces demolished several homes within Bint Jbeil and initiated heavy machinegun fire directed at residences along the Kounine-Saf al-Hawa road, as reported by NNA. Additionally, an Israeli air attack struck the al-Mashaa neighbourhood in al-Mansouri shortly prior to midnight.

Although overall violence had subsided following a United States-Iran memorandum of understanding finalized in June, alongside a subsequent US-sponsored framework agreement agreed upon by Lebanon and Israel, ongoing Israeli attacks and demolitions have persisted within the southern region. The established framework outlines the disarmament of Hezbollah, the progressive withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the deployment of the Lebanese army throughout southern Lebanon.

On Friday, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem voiced criticism toward the Lebanese authorities concerning the execution of the framework, accusing them of applying pressure on the army while ongoing Israeli attacks persisted. “How can you accept this ongoing humiliation of the Lebanese army, exposing it to bombardment and Israeli pressures, instead of acting as its protectors?” he stated.