Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals on Saturday, marking some of the most severe attacks since the fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect in June.
Reports from Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency revealed that one airstrike, targeting a residence on the outskirts of Ansar village, claimed the lives of seven people, including three children, and injured two others. A second airstrike in Deir al-Zahrani village resulted in four fatalities and 17 injuries.
Israel and the Lebanese government had reached a “framework agreement” on June 26, outlining a plan for Israeli troops to withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Iran. Despite envisioning steps towards a potential peace treaty between the two nations, which technically remain in a state of war decades after Israel’s establishment, Hezbollah declined direct negotiations and was not part of the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the airstrikes, stating they instilled fear among residents and hindered efforts to stabilize the region. He emphasized that the victims were not military targets and stressed the responsibility of the Lebanese government to address any military infrastructure within the country.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed that the strikes sent a clear message to ongoing negotiations and American initiatives aimed at implementing the agreement.
Israeli military action targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in response to alleged hostilities against Israeli soldiers in the Ali Taher and Ansar areas. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continued its frequent assaults on the region north of the Litani River, an unofficial boundary in Lebanon under significant Israeli military presence.
Hezbollah urged the Lebanese government to halt the aggression and criticized pursuing talks with Israel, accusing the U.S. of complicity in Israeli actions. The group warned Israel that its aggressive behavior would face retaliation.
Earlier in the month, two Israeli soldiers lost their lives in an explosion in southern Lebanon, marking the first Israeli casualties since the truce. Hezbollah refrained from commenting on the incident.
Seven rounds of talks have taken place between Lebanon and Israel, with the most recent occurring in Rome. Hezbollah, supported by Iran, has refused disarmament, alleging the Lebanese government conceded too much without securing an Israeli withdrawal.
The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began in March, with over 4,000 individuals killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon, including numerous civilians. On the Israeli side, approximately 40 soldiers and three civilians, including a military contractor, lost their lives.