Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of four individuals, two of whom were women, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Israel took action in response to alleged Hezbollah drone attacks in areas under its control, despite a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. earlier in the year. The Israeli military targeted locations in southern Lebanon, declaring them as a security zone.
The Health Ministry reported that two men were killed in a town near the Israeli-occupied zone, while the two women died in Arab Salim, located well north of the occupied area. Ahead of striking a building in Arab Salim reportedly used by Hezbollah, Israel issued an evacuation warning online at 6 a.m. local time. The strike resulted in injuries to six individuals, including two girls.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office condemned the strikes on Sunday, labeling them as a “dangerous escalation” that damaged civilian infrastructure. President Aoun held Israel responsible for the ongoing conflict and called on the international community to intervene and hold the perpetrators accountable.
The Israeli military stated that its targets included Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and a command center within a building previously functioning as a hospital. Precision munitions and aerial surveillance were employed to minimize civilian casualties. This evacuation warning marked the second since the ceasefire agreement in June.
In a previous incident, four individuals were killed and 23 were injured in southern Lebanon due to Israeli strikes without prior evacuation notices. Hezbollah accused Israel of escalating tensions to influence the Lebanese government’s negotiations with the U.S.-backed talks, a process the group has rejected.
Since March 2, over 4,300 individuals have lost their lives in Lebanon due to Israeli airstrikes following Hezbollah’s actions against Israel in support of Iran.