Israeli Strikes Kill 12 in Southern Lebanon as Escalation Threatens Ceasefire

The rubble of a building in Kfar Rumman was scattered with schoolbooks and broken furniture after an Israeli airstrike killed 11 people, including two children and four women, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Rescue teams searched the debris on Monday for other victims.

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infrastructure sites

A separate strike in the same town killed an 18-year-old rescuer and wounded another, the ministry said. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency had earlier reported two wounded rescuers. The dead rescuer belonged to a civil defense organization affiliated with the Amal movement, a political ally of Hezbollah.

Israel said it had struck Hezbollah “infrastructure sites” across southern Lebanon after two explosive drones were launched toward its troops. The military also said it targeted “several terrorists” transferring weapons. It said it would continue operating to remove threats while remaining committed to the ceasefire agreement.

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several terrorists

The escalation followed separate raids a day earlier that killed 11 people. Israel has intensified strikes in the southern Nabatieh area since saying it seized the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge from Hezbollah, a claim the Iran-backed group has not commented on. Israel’s foreign ministry accused Hezbollah of “repeated drone attacks” and efforts to rebuild its military capabilities in southern Lebanon, saying the group had violated the ceasefire provision requiring its disarmament.

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repeated drone attacks

Villagers had returned home after the June truce displaced them during the war. “Since we returned here, we’ve lived in fear,” Fouad Chakaron told AFP. He said the targeted building housed “peaceful people with no connection to anyone”. Israel issued no warning before the Kfar Rumman strike, but it issued an evacuation order before a separate attack in nearby Deir Zahrani.

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Since we returned here, we’ve lived in fear