Israeli airstrikes have struck southern Lebanon, including an attack on the village of Arab Salim in the Nabatieh district that killed a newlywed woman and wounded several other people, according to reports from Al Jazeera. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health stated that six people were wounded in the Arab Salim attacks, comprising a child, a woman, and two elderly individuals. The state-run National News Agency reported that the woman killed had been married for 48 hours and her home was destroyed in the strike.
Deadly Israeli Airstrikes Hit Southern Lebanon Amid Escalating Clashes
Lebanese security sources reported at least 10 Israeli strikes in the wider Nabatieh area, while artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of Rashaf in the Bint Jbeil district. The Israeli military stated that it targeted Hezbollah weapon storage facilities in retaliation for the Iran-backed group striking its soldiers in the south overnight. According to the Israeli military, Iran-backed fighters launched two explosive drones toward Israeli soldiers operating in the Ali al-Taher ridge, resulting in no casualties.
Ceasefire Efforts and Spreading Regional Tensions
The latest violence follows a series of military escalations that have strained diplomatic agreements. U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian previously signed a preliminary agreement to halt the Middle East war on all fronts, including Lebanon. However, follow-up talks scheduled in Switzerland were indefinitely postponed after a wave of Israeli strikes left dozens dead following the combat deaths of four Israeli soldiers.
A renewed ceasefire was subsequently announced, brokered by U.S. and Qatari mediators, with Israel’s ambassador to Washington indicating adherence if Hezbollah did the same. Despite this, an Israeli military official stated that fresh attacks were underway against Hezbollah after the group allegedly launched more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight. Lebanese authorities reported that 47 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Friday, marking the highest single-day death toll since the U.S. and Iran reached their initial accord.
Local Municipalities Reject Annexation Claims
Amid the ongoing military operations, local leaders in southern Lebanon have pushed back against international claims regarding the status of their communities. Municipalities, mokhtars, and local leaders representing approximately 15 predominantly Christian villages in southern Lebanon categorically denied allegations made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that residents had requested annexation to Israel (L’Orient Le Jour). Netanyahu had earlier told Fox News that several Christian villages had appealed to Israel to be protected from Hezbollah.
In a joint statement, the signatories—which also include Druze and Sunni minorities—described reports of officials contacting Israeli authorities to request annexation and citizenship as completely fabricated. The villages that signed the statement include:
- Abu Qamha
- Ain Ibl
- Alma al-Shaab
- Burj al-Muluk
- Buwaida
- Dibil
- Deir Mimas
- Ibl al-Saqi
- Jdeidet Marjayoun
- Kawkaba
- Qlayaa
- Qouzah
- Rashaya al-Foukhar
- Rmeish
- Sarda
Several of these communities have remained isolated for months within an occupation zone established by the Israeli army covering more than 600 square kilometers in southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities maintain that overall casualties in Lebanon have risen significantly since the conflict widened in March, with the Health Ministry reporting a national death toll of 4,352 and 12,318 injuries.
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