At least four people have been killed and 20 others wounded in a fresh wave of Israeli air attacks across southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities, as Israeli military operations continue despite a truce and efforts to reduce tensions along the border.
The attacks began early Sunday and struck several locations in and around Nabatieh, including Arab Salim, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Kfar Reman and Nabatieh city, Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported.
The latest escalation came after Israel said Hezbollah had launched two drones towards its forces operating in southern Lebanon. Israel described the reported drone attack as a “blatant violation” by the Lebanese armed group and said its subsequent strikes were directed at Hezbollah targets.
Lebanese authorities, however, reported civilian casualties and extensive damage to buildings and public infrastructure in the affected areas.
Two women killed in Arab Salim
Two women were killed and six other people wounded when an Israeli air attack struck Arab Salim, according to the National News Agency.
The strike came after Israeli forces issued a forced displacement order concerning a building in the town, according to the report.
The attack formed part of the early-morning wave of strikes that hit several areas around Nabatieh, with residents facing renewed military action despite the reduction in the intensity of attacks since the broader conflict entered a period of relative restraint.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry separately reported that two people were killed in an Israeli air strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
The combined casualties reported from Arab Salim and Nabatieh al-Fawqa brought the death toll from Sunday’s attacks to at least four, while Lebanese authorities said 20 people had been wounded.
The strikes also caused damage beyond the immediate areas where casualties were reported.
In Nabatieh city, an Israeli air attack destroyed a historical building belonging to the brother of a Lebanese member of parliament, according to the supplied report. Several nearby buildings were also damaged in the attack.
Another Israeli strike hit Kfar Reman, where the home of the town’s late former mayor was destroyed.
Five people affected by the attacks in the area were taken to hospitals in Nabatieh for treatment and were later discharged, according to the report.
Public park hit again
The latest strikes also damaged what remained of the Sayyida Masouma Garden, a municipal park in Nabatieh that had already been struck the previous day.
The repeated attacks on the location left further destruction in an area that had already suffered damage, adding to concerns about the continued impact of Israeli military operations on civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities have continued to report Israeli strikes, artillery fire and demolitions affecting towns and villages in the south, despite the broader reduction in the frequency of attacks following diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict.
Israel maintains that its military actions are aimed at countering Hezbollah activity and responding to attacks directed at its forces.
Israel cites Hezbollah drone launch
Israel said Sunday’s strikes were carried out in response to the reported launch of two drones by Hezbollah towards Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli government characterised the incident as a serious breach, while Hezbollah has continued to reject Israel’s military campaign and criticised the international response to the attacks.
The latest confrontation is part of a wider period of hostilities that intensified in March after Hezbollah attacked Israel during the US-Israel war on Iran.
Since then, Israel has conducted repeated air attacks across Lebanon and launched a ground operation, with Lebanese authorities saying more than 4,300 people have been killed in the attacks since March.
Israeli troops remain deployed inside what Israel calls a “security zone” extending approximately 10 kilometres, or six miles, into Lebanese territory.
Although the number of Israeli attacks has declined since a US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding on the broader conflict was reached in June, Lebanon continues to report military activity in its territory.
The two countries also signed a framework agreement later in June, but the arrangement has not prevented further Israeli air strikes or other military operations in southern Lebanon.
On Friday, Israeli strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon killed four people, including an 18-year-old woman, according to Lebanese authorities. Israel again said its attacks targeted Hezbollah positions and were carried out after a drone launch towards its soldiers.
The continuing exchanges have therefore left the truce vulnerable to renewed escalation, with each side presenting its military actions as responses to the other’s activities.
Israel considers troop repositioning
Alongside the continuing strikes, Israel is reportedly examining whether to reposition some of its troops operating inside Lebanese territory closer to the Israeli border.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan, citing security sources, reported that the military was preparing a possible reduction of its current deployment, with troops potentially moving three to four kilometres closer to the border.
Under the reported proposal, Israeli forces would establish outposts along a new line referred to as the “Grey Line”.
The plan would involve withdrawing troops from portions of the existing “Yellow Line”, which extends north of the Litani River.
However, the proposal has not yet received approval from Israel’s political leadership, while arrangements for transferring control of territory to the Lebanese army remain unresolved, according to Kan.
Any repositioning would therefore represent a change in the deployment of Israeli forces rather than an immediate end to Israel’s presence inside Lebanon.
The question of Israeli troops remaining on Lebanese territory has remained one of the central security issues surrounding the conflict, particularly as Lebanon seeks to restore state authority across affected areas.
Hezbollah condemns Israeli campaign
Hezbollah has condemned Israel’s military operations, accusing the international community of remaining silent while the attacks continue.
The group described Israel’s campaign as taking place amid “complete international silence and blatant American complicity”.
Hezbollah also reiterated its opposition to what it described as Beirut’s “fruitless direct negotiations” with Israel.
The group’s position highlights the competing approaches within the Lebanese political and security environment, with the Lebanese government pursuing diplomatic engagement while Hezbollah continues to reject direct negotiations with Israel.
The latest attacks have also prompted diplomatic contacts aimed at preventing further escalation.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, held a telephone conversation with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Saturday, according to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.
Doha said the discussions formed part of its efforts to promote de-escalation as violence continued to threaten the relative calm achieved through recent diplomatic initiatives.
Southern Lebanon remains under pressure
The renewed strikes underline the fragile nature of the truce and framework arrangements between Israel and Lebanon. While the scale and frequency of attacks have reportedly declined compared with the most intense period of fighting, Lebanese towns and villages continue to experience air attacks, artillery shelling and demolitions.
The situation is particularly significant around Nabatieh and the surrounding southern areas, where Sunday’s strikes caused deaths, injuries and destruction to residential and public structures.
Israel’s stated justification remains centred on Hezbollah activity and attacks against its troops, while Lebanese authorities continue to document the effects of Israeli military operations on communities and civilian infrastructure.
The reported possibility of an Israeli troop repositioning could alter the military geography of the area, but the absence of political approval and unresolved questions over a handover to the Lebanese army mean that no final withdrawal arrangement has yet been established.
For residents of southern Lebanon, the latest deaths and injuries demonstrate that the truce has not eliminated the threat of renewed violence.
With Israeli forces still operating inside Lebanese territory, Hezbollah maintaining its opposition to direct negotiations and diplomatic actors pressing for de-escalation, the latest strikes add another challenge to efforts to stabilise the southern Lebanon front.
Israeli Air Attacks Kill at Least Four in Southern Lebanon Despite Truce
