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At least six people, including a child, have been killed in southern Lebanon following Israeli airstrikes, according to Lebanon’s state news agency. The strikes come in response to rocket fire from Lebanon into Israeli territory, marking the most significant escalation since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in November.
Israel Responds to Rocket Fire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes against what he described as “terrorist” targets after rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel on Saturday morning. The Israeli military reported intercepting three rockets fired from a Lebanese district roughly four miles north of the border, targeting the Israeli town of Metula.
This is the second time since December that rockets have been fired into Israel from Lebanese territory. However, Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militant group, denied any involvement, stating it had “no link” to the attack and reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire. No group has claimed responsibility for the rocket launches.
Heavy Casualties and in Southern Lebanon
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), airstrikes in the southern village of Touline and the coastal city of Tyre have killed six people, including a child, and injured 18 others, including two children. Reuters also reported two additional fatalities in the municipality of Bint Jbeil.
Lebanese media described a wave of Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling across the country’s war-ravaged south, targeting border towns and hilltops situated roughly five miles inside Lebanese territory.
The fresh outbreak of violence has raised concerns about whether the fragile ceasefire can hold. The November truce agreement, which halted large-scale hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, required Israeli forces to withdraw from all Lebanese territory by late January. However, tensions have continued to simmer along the border.
Lebanon Strikes: Wider Regional Implications
The strikes on Lebanon come just a day after Israel vowed to intensify its operations in Gaza until Hamas releases the 59 hostages it still holds—24 of whom are believed to be alive.
Hezbollah initially began its attacks on Israel the day after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault. The conflict escalated into a full-scale war last September, with Israel launching extensive airstrikes that killed many of Hezbollah’s senior leaders. The ongoing violence has resulted in over 4,000 deaths in Lebanon and displaced approximately 60,000 Israelis.
