An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Saturday resulted in the deaths of nine people, including a woman and her two children, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
The strike, which occurred in the Nabatieh area, also left five people wounded, with two in critical condition, as stated in the ministry's report.
The Israeli military reported targeting Hezbollah's weapons storage facilities in the Nabatieh area, located approximately 12 kilometers (seven miles) from the closest point to the Israeli border.
This information was shared via the Israeli military's Telegram channel.
Since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip last October between Palestinian Hamas militants and Israeli forces, Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, and Israeli forces have been engaged in near-daily exchanges of fire across their border.
This incident comes amid concerns about a broader regional conflict. International mediators have been working to prevent further escalation through negotiations aimed at establishing a truce in Gaza.
The death toll in Gaza has exceeded 40,000 since the invasion began after the October 7 attacks.
UN estimates indicate that most casualties in the conflict are civilians, predominantly women and children.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Hezbollah has threatened to target Israel’s military installations and key strategic infrastructure in response to the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh.
In contrast, Israel has sought support from the US, UK, and France in the event of a potential war with Hezbollah or Iran. The US has urged Israel to minimize civilian casualties while targeting Hamas and has pledged unconditional support if war breaks out.
Additionally, an Israeli delegation is expected to meet with Hamas representatives in Doha in the coming days, following multiple unsuccessful ceasefire attempts.
On Friday, Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani advised Iran to avoid escalating tensions with Israel given the current geopolitical climate.
Although Iran has rejected Western calls to de-escalate tensions with Israel, it is expected to delay its retaliatory actions until the conclusion of the ongoing ceasefire talks brokered by Qatar and backed by Western nations.
However, Iran feels compelled to retaliate against Israel for the killing of the Hamas leader in Tehran.
Follow us
