IRIA News

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Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon killed at least 16 people and wounded dozens on Eid day as Israel intensified its military campaign against Hezbollah despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement.

Lebanese health authorities said at least 58 people were injured in the latest attacks, which targeted cities, roads, and residential areas across southern Lebanon. Among the dead were members of the same family who were reportedly killed while attempting to flee the fighting.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said six relatives died in an Israeli drone strike on the Adloun Highway, a major road connecting Sidon and Tyre. The family was trying to escape the area at dawn following new Israeli evacuation orders.

The escalation comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an expansion of military operations against Hezbollah, accusing the Hezbollah group of violating the ceasefire through rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel.

The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah “infrastructure” sites, weapons facilities, and command centers across southern Lebanon. Israeli forces also issued mass displacement warnings, ordering residents in large parts of the south to move north of the Zahrani River, about 40 kilometers from the Israeli border.

Fears of Wider Escalation

Israeli warplanes also carried out a strike on southern Beirut, marking only the second attack on the Lebanese capital since the ceasefire began last month.

The strike targeted the Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold in the capital. Thick smoke rose above residential buildings as rescue workers rushed into damaged neighborhoods searching for survivors.

Israeli media reported that the target may have been Ali Al Husni, a commander linked to an Iranian militia allied with Hezbollah, though the Israeli military did not officially confirm the claim.

The United States had reportedly urged Israel to avoid striking Beirut over concerns such attacks could derail ceasefire negotiations and broader regional diplomacy involving Lebanon and Iran.

Southern Cities Under Heavy Bombardment

Southern Lebanese cities, including Tyre, Nabatieh, and Mashghara, witnessed some of the heaviest bombardment in recent weeks.

Videos shared on social media showed massive explosions lighting up the night sky in Tyre, with roads covered in smoke and flames. One strike caused a large fireball to erupt near residential buildings, sending thick smoke across the city.

Emergency crews reportedly struggled to continue rescue operations because of ongoing airstrikes and warnings from the Israeli military to evacuate targeted areas.

A Hezbollah member in Tyre told reporters that rescue teams had to suspend work because conditions remained too dangerous. Israeli attacks also hit apartment buildings, cafes, and roads throughout southern Lebanon overnight, leaving many neighborhoods heavily damaged.

In Mashghara, several homes were destroyed after overnight strikes. Rescue workers spent hours searching through the rubble for survivors. The Lebanese health ministry said women and children were among those killed in the attacks.

Mass Displacement Across Southern Lebanon

The latest Israeli evacuation order covered around 300 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, making it one of the largest displacement orders since the ceasefire began.

Thousands of civilians fled north as Israeli strikes intensified, with many families already displaced multiple times since fighting resumed in March. Humanitarian organizations warned that shelters in several cities have reached capacity, forcing displaced residents to continue moving further north.

In the coastal city of Saida, officials said there was little room left for incoming civilians fleeing the south. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that continued attacks and large-scale displacement orders were deepening the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and placing civilians at severe risk.

Ceasefire Under Growing Pressure

The latest escalation has increased concerns that the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah could collapse entirely.

Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce. Israel says Hezbollah continues launching rockets and drones into northern Israel, while Lebanese officials accuse Israel of carrying out daily strikes and military operations inside Lebanese territory.

The violence has also cast doubt over U.S.-mediated negotiations aimed at preventing a wider regional conflict involving Iran.

Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Israeli military operations have intensified sharply over recent days, raising fears that the conflict could expand further.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 3,280 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict began in March. Israeli officials say 23 soldiers and four civilians have been killed on the Israeli side during the same period.