A surge in Israeli airstrikes has resulted in significant casualties in southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese Ministry of Health confirming at least 11 fatalities and 19 injuries across several towns and villages.
Early morning attacks on Saturday targeted the areas of Ansar and Deir ez-Zahrani in the Nabatieh district, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals in Ansar, including three children, and two injuries. The attack in Deir ez-Zahrani claimed four lives and wounded 17.
Hezbollah has issued a statement condemning the attacks and urging the Lebanese government to abandon direct negotiations, which the group describes as humiliating, and to cease relying on US mediation. The statement warned of an appropriate response to the Israeli aggression.
Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri characterized the Israeli attacks as a massacre, emphasizing that they represent a continuation of a war aimed at extermination in southern Lebanon. Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from Ansar, noted that the attack had heightened fear among residents as Israeli strikes and demolitions persist across the region.
The Israeli military claimed that the airstrikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in the areas of Nabatieh and Ansar, in response to an action against Israeli soldiers at the Ali al-Taher Ridge. However, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam disputed this account, labeling the escalation extremely dangerous and emphasizing that it undermines efforts to consolidate stability in the area.
President Joseph Aoun also condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks, stressing that they constitute repeated violations of international laws protecting civilians and the framework agreement. The National News Agency reported intensified Israeli attacks early on Saturday, including a series of airstrikes on the Ali al-Taher Ridge near Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
The recent escalation in violence has raised concerns about the efficacy of diplomatic efforts to establish peace in the region. With the framework agreement calling for Hezbollah’s disarmament and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, the continued attacks and demolitions have created an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear among the civilian population.
