Israeli bombardments killed at least 14 people in southern Lebanon on Thursday, as Israeli forces expanded what they described as their “operational zone” against the Iran‑backed Hezbollah movement. A separate strike near Beirut brought the total death toll to at least 17.
The Israeli military said it carried out a “targeted strike” in the Beirut area. According to a Lebanese army source cited by AFP, the target was an apartment in Choueifat, a district on the edge of the capital’s southern suburbs, widely seen as a Hezbollah stronghold.
Lebanon’s health ministry said the strike resulted in three fatalities – a woman, her young daughter and a child of Syrian nationality – and left 15 people injured.
An AFP reporter at the scene said the first two floors of a residential building had sustained heavy damage.
This marks the second strike near Beirut since the start of what has been described as a ceasefire, which has not been effectively implemented on the ground.
The latest attacks came a day before planned military‑level talks between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, alongside a new round of government negotiations due on 2 and 3 June. They also coincide with ongoing US‑Iran discussions, in which Tehran has sought to include the Lebanese front in any broader agreement on ending the conflict.
In recent days, Israel has intensified both ground and air operations in Lebanon. On Wednesday, it warned that it now considers the area from the border northwards to the Zahrani River, around 40 km, a “combat zone.”
Escalation
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) condemned the escalation, reporting that 670 projectiles were fired on Wednesday, the highest level since 17 April.
Earlier on Thursday, Lebanese authorities said at least 14 people had been killed in strikes across southern areas.
In the coastal city of Sidon, a residential building was hit, killing five people and injuring 21 others.
Another strike involving a drone targeted a vehicle in the same region, killing six people, including two children and their parents.
Further south, strikes were reported in Tyre and surrounding areas after the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings. A motorcycle was also hit, killing two Syrian nationals, one of them a child.
The Lebanese army confirmed that one of its members was killed in a strike while en route to Nabatieh.
“We will stay here”
Despite the attacks, residents say they will not leave. “We will stay here – this is our country, our land, our life,” said Ghazouan Hallawani, a resident of Tyre whose home was damaged.
Hezbollah said it carried out around 20 attacks on Thursday, mainly using attack drones, targeting Israeli troops attempting to advance in the south.
The group has stepped up drone attacks on northern Israel. Israeli forces said a soldier was killed on Thursday, bringing the death toll among its troops to 24 since 2 March, when the latest conflict phase began.
Since 17 April, around 400 explosive‑laden drones have been launched at Israeli targets, according to an Israeli military official.
Israel says around 2,500 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since 2 March, including about 800 since the announcement of the ceasefire.
According to Lebanon’s latest official figures, Israeli operations in the country have killed at least 3,324 people since early March.
