At least six people were killed and 28 others injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting eastern and southern Lebanon on Saturday evening, Lebanese health officials said.
Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center said Israeli airstrikes targeted the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, as well as several valleys and villages, killing six people and wounding 22. Six people were also injured in attacks in eastern Lebanon, Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center said.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese security source told Xinhua that Israel had carried out 15 airstrikes as of Saturday evening. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said the Israeli Air Force has launched a second phase of strikes against Hezbollah command centers, infrastructure sites, rocket launchers and weapons storage facilities across Lebanon.
It said it would continue to strike as needed to protect Israeli civilians. A statement issued by the Israeli Defense Minister’s Office said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz had instructed the IDF to launch a second phase of strikes against dozens of “Hezbollah targets” in Lebanon in response to rockets fired into northern Israel on Saturday morning.
“The Lebanese government is responsible for every incident that occurs on its soil,” the statement said. “Israel will not allow any harm to its citizens and sovereignty.” Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli military said it had intercepted rockets fired from Lebanon towards the northern Israeli town of Metula. There were no reports of casualties in Israel, according to the country’s emergency services.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that the first wave of Israeli attacks came on Saturday afternoon, hitting areas near Tuline, Kafr Melki, Mleta and the Wadi al-Hujer valley in southern Lebanon. A residential building in Tuline was reportedly destroyed, killing one person and wounding three others.
In a statement issued after the attack, the Israeli military said it had struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon. The exchange came amid long-running friction between Israel and Hezbollah over a US- and French-brokered ceasefire, which took effect on November 27, 2023.
The ceasefire stipulated an Israeli withdrawal from the disputed Lebanese territory, but Lebanese officials say Israeli forces are still occupying border posts after the February 18 deadline.
