Israeli air attacks have killed at least four people and wounded 20 others in southern Lebanon, marking a fresh escalation despite an existing truce. The strikes began at dawn on Sunday, targeting the areas of Nabatieh, Arab Salim, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and Kfar Reman, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA).
In Arab Salim, two women were killed and six others injured following an airstrike on a building for which Israeli forces had issued a forced displacement order. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that two people died in an Israeli air strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
Additional strikes in Nabatieh city destroyed a historical building owned by the brother of a Lebanese member of parliament, damaging nearby structures. In Kfar Reman, an attack flattened the home of the town’s late former mayor. Five individuals treated in Nabatieh hospitals were subsequently discharged.
Another blast hit the Sayyida Masouma Garden in Nabatieh, destroying what remained of the municipal park after it was struck the previous day. Israel stated the operations were a response to Hezbollah launching two drones toward its forces in southern Lebanon, labeling the move a “blatant violation” by the Lebanese armed group.
Since Hezbollah attacked Israel in March during the broader US-Israel war on Iran, Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion have killed more than 4,300 people in Lebanon. Israeli forces continue to occupy a self-declared “security zone” extending approximately 10km into Lebanese territory.
Although the frequency of attacks has decreased since a US-Iran memorandum of understanding was reached in June, and a framework agreement was signed between Israel and Lebanon later that month, Beirut continues to report Israeli strikes, artillery shelling, and demolitions of civilian buildings in southern villages.
On Friday, Israeli strikes in the south and east killed four people, including an 18-year-old woman, in response to a drone launch toward soldiers. Earlier this week, Israel announced it had taken “operational control” of the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatieh, a claim Hezbollah has not yet addressed.
Reports from Israeli public broadcaster Kan indicate that military planners are considering repositioning troops closer to the border, potentially pulling back from the “Yellow Line” to a new “Grey Line” located three to four kilometers inward. However, the plan requires political approval, and the transfer of territory to the Lebanese army remains unresolved.
Hezbollah condemned the campaign, accusing the international community of silence and the United States of complicity, while rejecting what it called “fruitless direct negotiations” with Israel. Meanwhile, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Saturday, with Doha urging de-escalation.
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