Twelve or more killed in recent Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory

At least 12 people have been killed in southern Lebanon, including a child, as Israeli forces continue their strikes despite an ongoing ceasefire. On Friday, at least eight people were killed and wounded in Habboush, a village in the Nabatieh district. The Lebanese Civilian Defence has searched through the rubble of air strikes that destroyed a residential neighbourhood.

According to reports from Tyre, footage shows dramatic scenes with buildings completely flattened. The strategy used by Israeli forces appears consistent across the country, with multiple attacks reported in southern Lebanon today, including women and children. Four more people were reported killed in other attacks near Tyre and Nabatieh.

Israel has also demolished houses, a convent, and a school on Friday. A forced evacuation order was issued to residents in Habboush, which is located north of the Litani River. The military’s Arabic-language spokesperson warned people to move at least 1,000 metres away before strikes struck the village.

The US-brokered ceasefire, announced on April 17 and extended to May 17, has not appeared to halt the violence. Since hostilities began on March 2, at least 2,618 people have been killed and 8,094 wounded in Lebanon, according to the Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Center.

Israel claims its attacks target the pro-Iran Lebanese group Hezbollah, but a significant proportion of those killed are civilians. Hezbollah has continued to attack Israeli forces and vehicles inside Lebanon, targeting 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.

Source: Al Jazeera