Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including two women, as reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry on Sunday. The strikes were in response to alleged Hezbollah drone attacks within areas occupied by Israeli troops, despite a ceasefire brokered by the United States with Hezbollah in June. The Israeli military is currently operating in a designated security zone in southern Lebanon.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, two men were killed in a town near the zone occupied by Israeli troops, while the two women were killed in Arab Salim, located north of the occupied area. The Israeli military issued an online evacuation warning for areas near a building in Arab Salim suspected of being used by Hezbollah, resulting in two girls being injured among six others during the strike.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office condemned the strikes, stating that they led to the destruction of a hospital and damage to a Finance Ministry building. The office called the escalation a dangerous act targeting civilian establishments. President Aoun held Israel responsible for the ongoing escalation and called on the United States and the international community to intervene and hold the perpetrators accountable.
In its defense, the Israeli military stated that its targets included Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and a command center within a building previously functioning as a hospital, emphasizing the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance to minimize civilian casualties. The evacuation warning issued on Sunday marked the second since the ceasefire agreement in June.
The first evacuation order was issued on August 5 for residents of Mansouri near Tyre, with Israel having previously dropped leaflets to warn residents of potential strikes. In a recent incident, four individuals were killed and 23 injured across southern Lebanon in Israeli strikes launched without prior warnings, targeting Hezbollah weapon storage facilities.
Hezbollah accused Israel of escalating tensions to pressure the Lebanese government, which has been engaged in direct talks with Israel under U.S. mediation – talks rejected by the Iran-backed group. The conflict has resulted in over 4,300 casualties from Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March 2, following Hezbollah’s actions in support of Iran.