BEIRUT — Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed four people and wounded at least 20 others on Sunday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, in the latest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The Israeli military said the strikes were carried out in response to what it described as a Hezbollah drone attack targeting areas where Israeli troops are operating in southern Lebanon.
Two women were among those killed in a strike on the southern Lebanese village of Arab Salim, north of an area where Israeli forces have established a security zone, according to Lebanese authorities. Two men were also killed in strikes near the edge of the Israeli-occupied area.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the strikes also injured at least 20 people, including children. Another Israeli strike hit the area around Nabatiyeh, where fighting has intensified around the strategically important Ali Taher ridge.
The Israeli military has said it maintains the right to operate inside a self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon to prevent attacks by Hezbollah. The group, however, has accused Israel of escalating the situation and seeking to pressure the Lebanese government during U.S.-facilitated negotiations.
The latest violence comes despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that was brokered with U.S. involvement in June. While the truce significantly reduced the intensity of fighting, Israeli strikes and Hezbollah attacks have continued.
The strategic Ali Taher ridge, near Nabatiyeh, has become a particular flashpoint. Israel says it has established operational control of the area and recently reported clearing Hezbollah fighters from tunnels beneath the ridge. Hezbollah has disputed the significance of Israel’s control.
The renewed fighting adds to mounting casualties in Lebanon. Reuters reported that Israeli strikes on Friday killed four people and wounded 23 others, while Israel said those attacks targeted Hezbollah weapons-storage facilities.
The situation remains volatile, raising concerns that continued Israeli-Hezbollah clashes could further undermine the fragile ceasefire and widen the conflict across the region.
