Israeli strikes kill 11 in southern Lebanon as attacks intensify across several areas

At least 11 individuals were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The Lebanese government described these attacks as some of the deadliest since the country entered into a U.S.-mediated peace framework with neighboring Israel. The Israeli military stated that the strikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, responding to actions against its soldiers in the region.

Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, condemned the attacks, vowing to respond accordingly. The framework agreement stipulates that Israeli troops will remain in occupied southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed and the Lebanese army assumes control, a demand that Hezbollah has rejected. The National News Agency reported that seven people, including three children and two women, were killed when Israeli warplanes struck a house in the village of Ansar.

Additionally, four others were killed in a separate strike in the village of Deir El Zahrani, with a total of 19 people wounded across the attacks. The Israeli military also conducted airstrikes in other areas, including a deep penetration into Lebanon near the Litani River. The Israeli Prime Minister's office accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire by attacking Israeli soldiers, leading to injuries.

The IDF claimed it targeted a Hezbollah command center in Ansar, but later learned that civilians were present, and therefore unintentionally harmed them. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes as a clear message to the peace negotiations and U.S. efforts to implement the framework agreement.