Twelve or more Lebanese civilians reportedly killed in recent Israeli strikes

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 reported that a residential neighbourhood was destroyed in the area.

According to Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, footage from the scene shows “dramatic” images of buildings being completely flattened. Hitto stated that this is part of a pattern seen throughout southern Lebanon, with multiple strikes reported in at least six locations, including women and children.

In addition to the Habboush incident, four more people were reported killed in other attacks near Tyre and Nabatieh. Israel also demolished houses, a convent, and a school on Friday. A forced evacuation order was issued to residents in Habboush, with the military advising them to move at least 1,000 metres away before strikes struck the village.

The US-brokered ceasefire, which began on April 17 and has been 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.

Hezbollah has continued to launch attacks on Israeli forces and vehicles inside Lebanon, targeting a Merkava tank and other vehicles, as well as soldiers in Sour. Israel claims its attacks target the pro-Iranian group Hezbollah, but many of those killed have been civilians. The conflict began in October 2023, with Israel intensifying its attacks in September 2024, killing Hassan Nasrallah, the movement’s longtime leader.

Source: Al Jazeera