Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people, including three children, in southern Lebanon on Friday, marking the deadliest single day since a US-brokered ceasefire framework was announced in June. The attacks struck multiple locations across the country’s south, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, as tensions continued over whether the broader US-Iran truce applies to the separate Israel-Lebanon front.
Multiple Towns Hit in Southern Lebanon
The Lebanese state news agency reported that strikes targeted residential areas across at least five towns in the south. The deadliest attack hit a residential building in Zrariyeh, killing four people including a woman and two children. Additional strikes in Abbassiyeh and Jibsheet killed five more. The attacks damaged homes, shops, and a civil defense center in Borj Qallawiyeh.
Lebanese media reported that Israeli warplanes also struck the Shiyyah area in Beirut’s southern suburb for the second time within hours, escalating the aerial campaign beyond the southern border zone. The Lebanese National News Agency said the strikes continued throughout the day despite international calls for restraint.
Dispute Over Ceasefire Scope Deepens
The violence has intensified a dispute over whether the US-Iran ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan and extended on Tuesday, covers Israeli operations in Lebanon. Pakistani and Iranian officials have insisted the truce includes all fronts where US-allied forces are engaged, while Washington and Tel Aviv have publicly rejected that interpretation.
“The ceasefire is between the United States and Iran,” a senior US official told reporters this week, reiterating that Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon operates under a separate diplomatic track. Israel launched its expanded offensive against Hezbollah on March 2, following rocket fire from the Iran-backed group into northern Israel.
Mounting Death Toll
The renewed Israeli campaign in southern Lebanon has now killed more than 4,300 people and displaced over one million civilians, according to Lebanese government figures. The fighting has devastated infrastructure across the south, with bridges, hospitals, and residential neighborhoods reduced to rubble in successive waves of air and artillery strikes.
A June framework agreement had outlined a pathway for Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament, but implementation stalled almost immediately. The Israeli military said it continued to target what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure and weapons depots, while humanitarian organizations have documented widespread civilian casualties.
The escalation comes as negotiations between the US and Iran remain fragile. A 60-day ceasefire is set to expire on August 17, and Pakistani mediators have been working to extend the deadline. Iran has repeatedly warned that Israeli attacks on Hezbollah could trigger a broader response, further complicating efforts to stabilize the region.
Sources: Lebanese Health Ministry; Middle East Monitor; Boston Globe; Associated Press
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