Death toll rises to 13 in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon despite truce

At least 13 people were killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon on Friday, according to Lebanese official figures, despite a truce that had taken effect the previous day between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Emergency Operations Center, part of the Public Health Ministry, said an Israeli attack on Qanarit, in the Sidon district about 50 kilometers south of Beirut, killed seven people and wounded 13. The initial toll included five children and five women.

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An Israeli enemy attack

The deaths were added to five people reported killed overnight in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army also said one of its soldiers died in an Israeli action while traveling along a road in the south.

Lebanon had already endured one of its bloodiest days in weeks on Thursday, when at least 48 people were killed in Israeli attacks. The toll included a sergeant who died from his wounds on Friday.

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Intense airstrikes inside and outside the area of operations, attacking, as usual, innocent civilians to conceal its military failure.

Hezbollah said it had attacked Israeli troops early Friday when they tried to infiltrate the area around the Ali al Taher hills in the south. The group accused Israel of carrying out intense airstrikes inside and outside the area of operations and of targeting civilians to conceal what it called a military failure. It said that, while respecting the ceasefire, it would confront any attempt to take territory or extend the occupation.

The statement marked the first official confirmation by either side of the truce. Israeli and U.S. media had reported the ceasefire the previous day, citing anonymous official sources, after Washington and Tehran digitally signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday that included a halt to hostilities on the Lebanese front.

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While respecting the ceasefire, we will not hesitate to confront any attempt by the enemy to seize territory and expand its occupation.