An Israeli airstrike has resulted in the deaths of at least ten people in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The victims, all Syrian nationals, include a woman and her two children. The strike also injured at least five individuals, with two in critical condition, including three Syrians, one Sudanese, and one Lebanese. Two of the critically injured Syrians are currently undergoing surgery at a nearby hospital.
The Israeli military reported that the strike targeted a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in the Nabatiyeh area. This incident represents one of the deadliest in southern Lebanon since the onset of Israel’s military campaign against Gaza, which began on October 7 following Hamas attacks that claimed around 1,200 lives.
In retaliation, Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at Ayelet Hashahar in northern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that sirens were activated in Ayelet Hashahar as approximately 55 projectiles were launched from Lebanon. However, no injuries were reported. In a separate incident, the IDF reported that one soldier was severely injured and another lightly wounded by a projectile that landed in Misgav Am.
On the same day, a drone strike in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed a motorcyclist, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). The ongoing exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces has been nearly daily since Israel’s Gaza campaign began, which has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths in ten months.
Tensions between Lebanon and Israel escalated late last month when an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Hezbollah’s top military commander, Fu’ad Shukr. This event was followed by the alleged assassination of Hamas’ political leader in Tehran, which Israel has neither confirmed nor denied. Speculation about potential retaliatory actions from Hezbollah and Iran against Israel is growing. Sources suggest that Hezbollah might act independently of Iranian intentions due to Lebanon’s proximity to Israel.
Gaza Strike Claims 15 Lives from Same Family
In Gaza, an Israeli strike in al-Zawayda, central Gaza, has killed at least 15 people from the same family, including nine children, according to a spokesperson for the civil defense. A video released by US sources shows people searching through rubble and recovering the body of a child.
The Israeli military stated that the reports of civilian casualties are under review. Later, the IDF confirmed that the strike targeted and killed several militants, including one who had launched rockets towards Israeli troops.
The ongoing conflict has devastated Gaza, displacing nearly the entire population and reducing much of the territory to rubble. Israel issued new evacuation orders for central Gaza, marking the ninth such order in August alone. The UN has warned that these orders severely disrupt access to essential services and shelter for the local population.
Hostage and truce talks, which concluded on Friday, are scheduled to resume next week with a new proposal from international mediators aimed at bridging remaining gaps between Israel and Gaza.
