Israeli Air Strike Kills Seven In Southern Lebanon As Tensions Escalate

An Israeli air strike has killed seven people in southern Lebanon, including three children and two women, in one of the deadliest attacks since a framework aimed at reducing hostilities between Israel and Lebanon was announced in June.

According to a report by the BBC, the strike hit a house on the outskirts of Ansar in the Nabatieh district at about 04:30 local time, where displaced families were reportedly staying. Lebanon’s state-run news agency said those killed included three children and two women.

The Israeli military said it targeted what it described as “Hezbollah terror infrastructure”, claiming the strike was carried out in response to an earlier action against its soldiers.

The attack came amid intensified Israeli strikes across parts of southern Lebanon overnight.

Later on Saturday morning, another series of strikes hit Deir al-Zahrani, killing two people and injuring nine others, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.

Footage shared on social media showed large clouds of grey smoke spreading through the streets of the village, with sirens heard in the background.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks and rejected Israel’s characterisation of the targets, saying the civilians killed in Ansar were not “military infrastructure”.

“Israel must halt this escalation,” he said. “For the security of our people and their right to life on their land are not subject to negotiation or bargaining.”

The Israel Defense Forces said the incident that preceded its strike on Ansar occurred at the Ali al-Taher Ridge, a strategic high ground overlooking large parts of south-eastern Lebanon and one of the most heavily contested positions during the conflict.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency also reported a series of Israeli strikes around the ridge.

Near the border, several houses were reportedly destroyed in Bint Jbeil, while Israeli forces allegedly opened heavy machine-gun fire towards residential areas, according to the agency.

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The latest violence comes despite a June ceasefire framework that called for Hezbollah to disarm, Israeli forces to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon and the Lebanese army to deploy throughout the area.

Lebanon was drawn into the wider conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran on March 2, when Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned armed group, launched rockets towards Israel following a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader.

Israel subsequently launched an extensive bombing campaign across Lebanon and sent ground forces into parts of the country’s south. Israeli forces continue to occupy an area estimated at about 5% of Lebanese territory.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the latest strikes, particularly the attack in Ansar that killed members of the same family, and criticised what he described as Israel’s “repeated violations” of the ceasefire framework.

Aoun said the attacks sent a “clear message” to the US-led negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict.

Hezbollah was not a party to the agreement and has rejected direct negotiations with Israel.

The IDF has maintained that it will continue targeting what it considers threats to Israeli citizens and troops operating within the security zone, a military buffer extending about 10km into southern Lebanon.

Although fighting has declined since the June agreement, Israeli strikes and demolitions in southern Lebanon have continued.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Friday criticised the Lebanese authorities over their implementation of the ceasefire framework, accusing the government of putting pressure on the Lebanese army while 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 said.

Lebanese and Israeli negotiators are expected to hold an eighth round of talks in September, although a specific date for the meeting has yet to be announced.