The raids launched by the Israeli Air Force on southern Lebanon on Sunday morning resulted in the deaths of four people, according to what the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced.
The ministry said that two people were killed in the town of Nabatieh Al-Fawqa, near the city of Nabatieh, one of the largest cities in southern Lebanon, and two women were killed in the town of Arabsalim, located a few kilometers away, while twenty people were injured in several areas, including women and three children.
Israel said that it carried out these raids "after Hezbollah launched drones at its soldiers."
The Israeli army said in a statement that two “suicide” marches were launched towards its forces, noting that there were no casualties among its soldiers.
He added that his forces "are currently attacking southern Lebanon in response."
The Israeli army reported that its forces opened fire on one of the two drones and were able to intercept it, noting that no casualties were recorded among its ranks, describing the launching of the two drones as a “flagrant violation.”
In a statement, the Israeli army warned residents of a building in the town of Arabsalim and the buildings adjacent to it, calling for them to evacuate, saying that they were located near a “Hezbollah facility.”
The Israeli army described the launch of the drone as a “flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement,” adding that its forces will continue their operations in the area, which it describes as “security,” under the pretext of removing any threat to its forces and the Israelis.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the renewed Israeli attacks on the city of Nabatieh and its towns, which resulted in casualties, damage to the Ministry of Finance building, and the destruction of Ghandour Hospital and other health facilities.
The Lebanese President called on the United States to put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks on targets in the south of the country.
Aoun said that targeting government institutions and health facilities represents a “dangerous escalation” that goes beyond “repeated violations” of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and the Framework Agreement, considering that the attacks are no longer limited to what Israel describes as military targets, but rather have affected civilian administrations and facilities that provide services to citizens.
The Lebanese President held Israel fully responsible for the escalation, calling on the United States and the international community to take urgent action to stop what he described as violations and hold those responsible accountable.
Aoun stressed that Lebanon will continue its commitment to preserve its sovereignty, the stability of the south of the country, and the safety of its citizens, expressing his solidarity with the people of Nabatieh and the employees of the affected institutions, and wishing recovery for the wounded.
The new raids come less than 24 hours after other Israeli raids on southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah did not issue an immediate comment on the Israeli army’s announcement.
Israel continues to occupy large areas in southern Lebanon, where it announced the establishment of a “security zone” with a depth of up to ten kilometers along the border, in conjunction with the continuation of raids, demolitions, and bombings.
On Friday, four people were killed and 32 others were injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, in raids that Israel said targeted Hezbollah sites.
These developments come in light of the continuing confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah, which began in 2023 after the party opened what it described as a “support front” for the Gaza Strip. The Lebanese Ministry of Health said that Israeli strikes since October 8, 2023 have killed more than 8,920 people.
In a related context, on Sunday morning, the Israeli army began a large military exercise, by order of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, to test the army’s readiness to deal with the scenario of the outbreak of a sudden and widespread confrontation on several fronts at the same time.
