At least 12 people, including a child, have been killed in southern Lebanon as Israel continues its airstrikes despite a ceasefire agreement. The strikes hit Habboush in the Nabatieh district on Friday, killing eight and wounding eight others, including another child and a woman.
Lebanese Civil Defense teams are searching through rubble after what Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto described as “a massive set of air strikes that destroyed a residential neighborhood.” Hitto noted that “the footage coming out of there is really dramatic, with buildings completely flattened.”
“We keep seeing this same kind of strategy throughout the country,” Hitto added. “There were strikes that killed and injured many other people in at least six other locations in southern Lebanon today, including women and children.”
Another four people were reported killed in attacks near Tyre and Nabatieh, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Israel also demolished houses, a convent, and a school on Friday.
Israel issued a forced evacuation order for residents of Habboush, located north of the Litani River. Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on social media telling people to move at least 1,000 meters away before strikes hit the village. A day earlier, the town was attacked without warning.
At least 28 people were reported killed in Lebanon on Thursday. Israel claims its attacks target the pro-Iranian Hezbollah group, but a large proportion of those killed have been civilians.
Hezbollah continued attacks on Israeli forces and vehicles inside Lebanon, saying it targeted a Merkava tank and other vehicles, as well as soldiers in Sour. Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, which it calls a buffer zone.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported that 2,618 people have been killed and 8,094 wounded since hostilities began on March 2. The death toll continues to climb despite the US-brokered ceasefire announced on April 17 and extended to May 17.
Israel and Hezbollah began attacking each other after the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023. A ceasefire in November 2024 was violated by Israel more than 10,000 times. Hezbollah resumed attacks on March 2, following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the US and Israel.
Source: www.aljazeera.com