Beirut
At least five people were killed in a series of Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanon on Saturday, as the Israeli military intensified operations despite an ongoing US-brokered ceasefire and issued fresh evacuation orders affecting dozens of towns and villages.
According to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA), one person was killed in an air strike on the town of Maarakeh in the Tyre district. Ali Badie, mayor of the Ar-Rihan municipality in the Jezzine district, was among those killed in the attacks. Three other fatalities were reported in the towns of Deir al-Zahrani and Kafr Reman in the Nabatieh district.
Israeli air raids also targeted several locations across southern Lebanon, including Qana, Bazouriyeh, Rashkananiyeh and Kfar Tibnit. Additional strikes were reported near Nabatieh and Kfar Reman, while artillery shelling hit Khirbet Selm in Bint Jbeil district and Majdal Zoun in the Tyre region. Dawn attacks reportedly destroyed several homes and government buildings in Bint Jbeil.
In a significant escalation, the Israeli military ordered residents of 24 towns and villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately and move north of the Zahrani River. The affected areas included Deir al-Zahrani, Kfar Rouman, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Reihan, Aaramta and several other communities.
The Israeli military said it had activated air raid alerts in the northern town of Metula following the suspected infiltration of a hostile aircraft from Lebanon. It also claimed to have killed seven Hezbollah fighters during the past week and said more than 70 Hezbollah-linked sites and rocket launchers had been targeted in the last 24 hours.
The Lebanese army reported that one of its soldiers was seriously injured after being targeted twice by Israeli forces while travelling on the Kfar Reman-Nabatieh road.
The renewed violence comes amid reports of progress in negotiations between the United States and Iran aimed at reducing tensions across the region. Iranian media suggested that a proposed agreement could include provisions relating to Lebanon, raising hopes for broader de-escalation.
However, continued military activity has fuelled concerns that ongoing hostilities could undermine diplomatic efforts. Observers note that despite a ceasefire agreement reached earlier this month, clashes and air strikes have persisted.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the current period as a "fateful juncture" for the country, urging national unity and warning against continued instability as Lebanon grapples with one of its most challenging security crises in recent years.
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