Israeli strike kills seven in southern Lebanon

An Israeli strike on Saturday claimed seven lives, including three children, in the Lebanese village of Ansar. This marked one of the deadliest attacks on Lebanon since the June truce. Three individuals sustained injuries in the strike. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vehemently condemned the attack, emphasizing that those killed were not military targets.

"The responsibility for addressing any military infrastructure, if it exists on Lebanese soil, rests solely with the Lebanese state," Salam stated on X. The Lebanese government has been striving to bring all weapons, including those belonging to Iran-backed Hezbollah, under state control to bolster state authority and put an end to hostilities with Israel.

Despite multiple rounds of talks, including those held in the US, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun highlighted that the attack sent a clear message regarding the negotiating process and US efforts to implement the agreement. Israel also targeted Deir Al Zahrani, a village approximately 18 kilometers from Ansar, resulting in the deaths of four people and nine injuries.

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported the incident, noting that some residents evacuated the area following the attack. Israel's military claimed that the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure. Additionally, the Israeli military struck the Ali Al Taher ridge, a strategic hilltop area southeast of the Nabatieh region, which has been a frequent target of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon.