Israeli strikes in South Lebanon kill 13 after weeks of relative calm
A wave of Israeli airstrikes in south Lebanon killed 13 people, including women and children, on Monday, marking a sharp escalation after weeks of relative quiet. Israel's military says it will keep targeting Hezbollah over alleged ceasefire violations.
Lebanon's health ministry said 13 people, including women and children, were killed in a wave of Israeli airstrikes across south Lebanon on Monday, marking a significant escalation after weeks of relative calm.
The deadliest strike hit a building in the town of Kfar Rumman, killing 11 people, including two children and four women. A separate attack in the same town killed an 18-year-old rescuer affiliated with a civil defence organisation linked to the Amal movement, a Hezbollah ally. An AFP photographer found the building completely destroyed, with school books and furniture debris scattered across the rubble.
Another strike hit Rihan, further from the border, killing one person, while an attack on the city of Nabatieh wounded nine people, including two children and three women. Israel has stepped up strikes in the Nabatieh area since announcing last Thursday that it had seized the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge from Hezbollah.
The Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure sites after two explosive drones were launched at its troops, and also struck fighters allegedly transferring weapons. In a separate statement, it said it killed a Hezbollah member near the Beaufort fortress area, with two Israeli soldiers lightly wounded in a close-quarters clash.
Israel's foreign ministry accused Hezbollah of repeated drone attacks and of trying to rebuild its military capabilities in the south, calling both violations of the ceasefire agreement. Hezbollah has not commented on the recent escalation and has not claimed any attack since June 20.
Israel gave no warning before the Kfar Rumman strike but issued an evacuation order ahead of a separate attack in nearby Deir Zahrani. One resident told AFP he received a middle-of-the-night call warning him to leave his home.
Seven people were killed in Israeli strikes on Sunday and four on Friday. Beirut says more than 4,300 people have been killed by Israeli strikes and a ground invasion in Lebanon since March. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Sunday urged Washington and the international community to help halt the Israeli attacks.
