Israeli strikes kill 39 in Lebanon amid continued cross-border hostilities

At least 39 people were killed in a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, the country’s health ministry said, as hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah persist despite a ceasefire announcement.

One of the deadliest strikes hit the southern town of Saksakiyeh, where at least seven people, including a child, were killed and 15 others injured, among them three children, according to the ministry.

The Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah operatives using a structure for military purposes and acknowledged reports of civilian casualties. It added that precautions were taken to minimise harm to civilians, including the use of precision weapons and aerial surveillance, and that the incident is under review.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported multiple Israeli strikes across southern regions on Saturday.

In another incident, an Israeli drone strike in Nabatieh targeted a motorbike carrying a Syrian man and his 12-year-old daughter. The health ministry said the pair were hit in successive strikes, killing the father and critically injuring the girl, who was undergoing surgery.

Hezbollah also launched a drone attack into northern Israel, wounding three Israeli soldiers, one of them seriously, according to the Israeli military.

Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have continued since a ceasefire deal announced on April 16. Israel says its strikes are aimed at Hezbollah-linked targets, while the group has responded with rocket and drone attacks.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, more than 120 people have been killed in Israeli attacks over the past week, including women and children, though it does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of southern Lebanon along the border, aiming to establish what they describe as a Hezbollah-free buffer zone. Reports indicate widespread destruction in some villages, drawing concern from rights groups.

Since early March, nearly 2,800 people have been killed in Lebanon, while Israeli authorities report 17 soldiers and three civilians killed in related violence on both sides of the border.