Israel continues attacks across southern Lebanon

Israeli forces pressed attacks across southern Lebanon on Saturday, employing artillery fire, drone strikes and deliberate arson in a wave of operations concentrated heavily in Nabatieh province, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).

Operations in Nabatieh province

Two explosions struck near the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal early Saturday, NNA reported, adding that no casualties or damage figures were immediately available. An Israeli drone attacked Nabatieh al-Fawqa at approximately 8:55 a.m. local time (0555GMT), followed by a second strike on the same town roughly 45 minutes later, the agency said. Israeli troops also set fire to homes in Beit Yahoun, while warplanes launched airstrikes between the Al-Deir neighborhood and the Ali al-Taher hills on the northern outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, according to NNA.

Withdrawal dispute

"Israel has no intention of withdrawing from the Ali al-Taher hills despite US pressure to continue its withdrawal," the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported Saturday. The position runs counter to a US-sponsored negotiation process aimed at completing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory under a ceasefire agreement reached earlier this year.

Strikes in other districts

Israeli aircraft also struck an area between the towns of Zawtar al-Gharbiyah and Qaaqaiyat al-Jisr on Saturday, while artillery shelled Haris in the Bint Jbeil district and warplanes hit Al-Mansouri in the Tyre district twice, according to the agency. Lebanese authorities reported no casualties from the latest attacks, which came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a complete Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.