At least 16 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes and artillery attacks across southern Lebanon overnight, according to reports by Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, in a fresh escalation that came just a day after the announcement of a US-Iran peace agreement aimed at easing tensions in West Asia.
The strikes targeted multiple areas in the Nabatieh district and surrounding regions, including Tayr Debba, Deir Qanoun en-Nahr, Tyre, Kfar Sir, Harouf and Nabatieh, NNA reported. Nine people were killed in Tayr Debba, while three others died in Deir Qanoun en-Nahr. A separate strike on a mosque and a nearby clinic in Deir ez-Zahrani reportedly left at least three people dead.
Lebanese authorities said several others were injured, while rescue teams continued operations to search for people feared trapped under collapsed buildings. The reports claim scores of people have suffered critical injuries in the fresh attacks.
Meanwhile, The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed that the strikes were carried out in response to what it described as repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement by Hezbollah. In a statement, the IDF claimed it struck more than 80 Hezbollah positions, including headquarters, rocket launch sites and other military infrastructure in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa region.
The Israeli military also said several Hezbollah fighters were killed during the operation and that it destroyed a launcher used to fire rockets at Israeli forces stationed in southern Lebanon.
The escalation followed US Vice President JD Vance's public appeal urging Israel and Hezbollah to avoid further violence after the US-Iran agreement was announced, raising concerns over renewed instability along the Lebanon-Israel border.
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