At least 12 people, including a child, have tragically lost their lives in southern Lebanon as Israel persists with its strikes, defying an ongoing ceasefire. On Friday, Israeli forces killed at least eight individuals in Habboush, Nabatieh district, and wounded at least eight others, including another child and a woman.
Obaida Hitto of Al Jazeera, reporting from Tyre, described the scene as Lebanese Civilian Defence teams sifted through the wreckage of “massive air strikes that obliterated a residential neighbourhood.” The footage emerging is “dramatic, with buildings completely flattened.” Hitto noted this “same kind of strategy throughout the country,” highlighting strikes that claimed lives and injured many, including women and children, in at least six other southern Lebanese locations today.
The country’s National News Agency reported four additional fatalities in attacks near Tyre and Nabatieh. Friday’s assaults also saw Israel demolish houses, a convent, and a school.
In Habboush, north of the Litani River, Israel issued a forced evacuation order on Friday. Avichay Adraee, the military’s Arabic-language spokesperson, instructed residents via social media to immediately move at least 1,000 metres away before strikes hit the village. The town had also been attacked without warning the previous day. This comes after at least 28 people were reported killed in Lebanon on Thursday.
While Israel asserts its attacks target the pro-Iran Lebanese group Hezbollah, a significant number of those killed have been civilians. Hezbollah, in turn, continued its attacks on Israeli forces and vehicles within Lebanon, claiming to have targeted a Merkava tank, other vehicles, and soldiers in Sour. Israel maintains its occupation of parts of southern Lebanon, referring to it as a buffer zone.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Center reported on Friday a grim toll: 2,618 people killed and 8,094 wounded since hostilities commenced on March 2. This death toll continues to rise despite a US-brokered ceasefire, announced on April 17 and extended to May 17.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated following Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023. Israel intensified its attacks in September 2024, leading to the death of Hezbollah’s longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah. A subsequent ceasefire in November 2024 was reportedly violated by Israel over 10,000 times. Hezbollah resumed attacks on Israel on March 2, after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the US and Israel.
#LebanonUnderAttack
#IsraeliAggression
#SouthernLebanon
#CeasefireViolation
#CivilianCasualties
#MiddleEastConflict
#HumanitarianCrisis
#GazaWar
#Hezbollah
#InternationalLaw