Israeli airstrikes kill 20 across southern Lebanon as attacks intensify

Israeli airstrikes intensified across southern Lebanon, killing at least 20 people and wounding 61 since Wednesday following the targeting of around 30 towns, according to Lebanese officials and local sources. The Health Ministry said early Thursday that airstrikes on the towns of Bissariyeh and Harouf killed five people and wounded nine others.

Widespread strikes

Earlier in Sidon district, a strike on the town of Adloun killed four people and wounded another, while a strike on an apartment in the Mieh Mieh Palestinian refugee camp killed two people and wounded four others, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported. In Nabatieh, a strike on the town of Habboush killed three people and wounded 18 others, while additional strikes hit the towns of Harouf, Arnoun, Doueir, Al Sharqiya and Arabsalim.

Tyre and Bint Jbeil

In the city of Tyre, 24 people were wounded in a strike on the al-Alam roundabout, while nearby towns including Qlaileh, Majdal Zoun, Debel and Batouliyeh were also targeted. In Bint Jbeil district, strikes hit the towns of Yatar, Kafra, Burj Qalawiya and Rshaf, while artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of Shaqra, Srebbine, Aita al-Jabal, Kherbet Selem and Haris. Lebanon's Health Ministry said an Israeli strike on the town of Kounine in Bint Jbeil killed three people and wounded four others.

House strikes

In Marjayoun district, airstrikes targeted the town of Khiam, including its al-Jabal neighborhood, as well as the town of Froun. Local sources said a strike on a house in Batouliyeh killed one person and wounded another, while another strike on a house between Zawtar al-Sharqiya and Zawtar al-Gharbiya killed two people. A strike also hit a fuel station at the eastern entrance of Doueir, with civil defense crews working to extinguish the fire into the early morning hours.

Conflict context

Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by the Hezbollah group on March 2. Lebanese authorities say at least 1,094 people have been killed and 3,119 injured in Israeli attacks since then. The current escalation came amid a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran which has killed more than 1,340 people since Feb. 28. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries, saying they are aimed at US military assets.