Israeli Air Strikes Kill 21 in Southern Lebanon Amid Continued Clashes with Hezbollah

At least 21 people were killed in Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanon, including 12 members of one family in Deir Qanoun al-Nahr. Israel said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, while Hezbollah continued attacks on Israeli forces and border defence systems. The violence comes despite a ceasefire extension brokered by the United States, with both sides continuing to exchange fire. Lebanon says more than 3,000 people have been killed since the conflict began, while Israel reports 25 deaths.

At least 21 people were killed in a series of Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanon on Tuesday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry and local media reports, marking another deadly escalation despite an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
The deadliest attack struck a residential house in the town of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr in the Tyre district, where 12 people lost their lives. Among those killed were three women and three children, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. Rescue teams continued searching through the debris overnight, and by Wednesday morning, two additional bodies had been recovered from the rubble. The news agency reported that the victims included 11 members of the same family and a Syrian national.
The Israeli military has not immediately commented on the specific strike. However, it has repeatedly stated that its operations in southern Lebanon are aimed at targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia Islamist group. Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli army announced that it had carried out attacks on more than 25 Hezbollah infrastructure sites over the previous 24 hours, including weapons storage facilities and command centres located in several areas of southern Lebanon.
The latest violence comes less than a week after the United States announced that Lebanon and Israel had agreed to extend their ceasefire by an additional 45 days. Negotiations aimed at maintaining stability and preventing further escalation are expected to resume next month.
Lebanon became directly involved in the broader conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States on March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel. The group said the attack was in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign involving extensive air strikes throughout Lebanon and a subsequent ground offensive in the south of the country.
Although a US-brokered ceasefire took effect nearly five weeks ago, hostilities have continued. Israeli air strikes have persisted across southern Lebanon, often occurring around the clock. While Israel maintains that its operations are directed at Hezbollah positions, civilian casualties have continued to be reported, including women and children.
The Lebanese health ministry said an additional nine people were killed and 29 others injured in separate Israeli strikes across the Nabatieh and Tyre districts. In the town of Nabatieh, four people, including two women, were killed. Another strike in the nearby village of Kfar Sir claimed the lives of five more people.
The BBC said it had contacted the Israeli military for comment regarding the reported civilian deaths.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued its attacks on Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon. The group has launched rockets and drones targeting communities in northern Israel as well as Israeli troops stationed in a buffer zone extending up to 10 kilometres inside Lebanese territory in some areas.
According to the Agence France-Presse news agency, Hezbollah said its fighters engaged Israeli forces attempting to advance toward the central square of Haddatha, a town in the Bint Jbeil district. The group also claimed to have destroyed an Israeli tank during the confrontation. Hezbollah further reported carrying out attacks against Israeli military positions in southern Lebanon and targeting Iron Dome air defence systems near the border in northern Israel.
The Israeli military also announced that one of its deputy company commanders was killed by Hezbollah fire while participating in operations to clear buildings in a southern Lebanese village.
The conflict has inflicted heavy losses on both sides. Lebanon’s health ministry says at least 3,094 people have been killed since the war began, though its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israeli authorities, meanwhile, report that 21 soldiers and four civilians have been killed during the same period.