Heavy Overnight Bombardment Hits Multiple Areas
BEIRUT: Israeli airstrikes and shelling across southern Lebanon killed at least 15 people on Friday, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), as hostilities continued despite ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions.
According to local residents and media reports, Israeli attacks targeted several towns in the Nabatieh district overnight and continued into the early hours of Friday. NNA described the bombardment as one of the most intense military escalations witnessed in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said its operations targeted what it described as Hezbollah positions and infrastructure across multiple locations in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials stated that the strikes were carried out in response to what they called repeated ceasefire violations by the Iran-backed group.
The latest attacks have further heightened concerns over the stability of the security situation along the Lebanon-Israel frontier.
Military Presence and Security Disputes Remain Unresolved
Furthermore, the escalation comes a day after Israel released a map outlining an expanded military control zone in southern Lebanon. Israeli authorities indicated they reserved the right to continue military operations beyond the designated area if security concerns persisted.
The development has raised fresh questions about regional de-escalation efforts following the recently announced interim understanding between the United States and Iran. The agreement calls for an end to hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, while emphasizing respect for Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Additionally, a senior Israeli official said discussions with the administration of US President Donald Trump remain ongoing regarding Israel’s military presence inside southern Lebanon. According to the official, Israel seeks to maintain troop deployments up to 10 kilometres inside Lebanese territory as part of its security strategy against Hezbollah.
However, Israel has continued to reject calls for a complete withdrawal from southern Lebanon. At the same time, Hezbollah has maintained attacks on Israeli positions, including operations involving explosive drones that have caused military casualties in recent days, further complicating efforts to secure lasting stability.
