Israeli forces have killed at least 14 people and injured dozens in a series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon. The intensification of military action follows a fresh exchange of fire between Israel and Iran, placing the ceasefire that began on April 8 in severe jeopardy, according to reports from Al Jazeera and AFP. The latest flare-up was triggered by an Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, which occurred on Sunday.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, an Israeli strike conducted near a Red Cross center in the southern coastal city of Tyre resulted in the deaths of five people and left eight others wounded, including four paramedics. The bombardment also caused damage to a UNESCO World Heritage site located within the city. Authorities have issued urgent warnings to remaining residents in Tyre, advising them to avoid any public gatherings due to the constant threat of further aerial bombardment.
In the Sidon district, an Israeli airstrike targeting al-Marwaniyah claimed the lives of two individuals, including a child. Ten other people, including four women, sustained injuries in the blast. A third series of Israeli strikes hit Zefta in the Nabatieh district, killing seven people and wounding eight others. Among the casualties were a woman and a Syrian child. In a concurrent maneuver, Israeli artillery shelled the nearby village of Touline.
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which has been actively resisting Israeli ground incursions in southern Lebanon, reported carrying out 16 separate operations against Israeli military units. The group claimed to have targeted areas near the strategic Beaufort Castle. Hezbollah statements indicated that they destroyed two Israeli military bulldozers in the village of Yohmor al-Shaqif and struck various troop concentrations. Furthermore, the group asserted that it successfully intercepted an Israeli drone operating in the airspace over Iqlim al-Tuffah.
The strikes have drawn severe warnings from Iran, which vowed to impose crushing measures if Israel continues its assault on Lebanese territory. The rapidly deteriorating security situation indicates that the fragile calm held since early April has effectively collapsed. International observers remain deeply concerned that the renewed hostilities could lead to a broader regional conflict, as civilian casualties continue to mount across the southern Lebanese landscape.
