At least seven people were killed and several others wounded in southern Lebanon on Saturday as Israeli airstrikes continued despite a ceasefire agreement. Lebanon's state-run media reported deadly strikes across multiple villages, with the Israeli military intensifying operations near the border.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that its air force conducted 50 airstrikes over the past 24 hours, all targeting infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. According to The Times of Israel, the IDF said it struck “terror targets” in response to Hezbollah rocket fire at Israeli troops in Lebanon. No injuries on the Israeli side were reported. Hezbollah confirmed it had attacked Israeli troops with a drone in a coastal village.
Systematic Destruction of Border Villages
Over recent weeks, the Israeli army has been levelling neighbourhoods near the border. The IDF released a video showing the destruction of a booby-trapped football stadium in the town of Bint Jbeil. It also issued new evacuation warnings for residents of nine southern villages. Israeli officials have indicated an intention to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, and the military has published maps of a “forward defence line” extending several kilometres into Lebanon, encompassing dozens of villages whose residents have not been allowed to return.
The IDF maintains that its demolition work targets Hezbollah, not civilians, and that it “operates in accordance with international law and does not destroy civilian property unless required by imperative military necessity.” However, due to security concerns and limited access, neither UN peacekeepers nor Lebanese officials have been able to conduct a detailed survey of the affected villages. Observers have described entire residential neighbourhoods being systematically destroyed.
“They were demolishing it gradually until they reached the main square, and now, as you can see, there are no more houses,” said Hassan Sweidan, a resident of a neighbouring village, looking across at the town of Beit Lif, about 4 kilometres north of the Lebanon-Israel border.
The escalation comes amid broader regional tensions. In a separate incident, Spain Demands Release of Activist Detained in Israeli Flotilla Raid, highlighting European concerns over Israeli actions. Meanwhile, Gaza Flotilla Activists Disembark in Crete After Israeli Interception underscores the ongoing friction in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The European Union has repeatedly called for restraint and adherence to international law in the region. The continued violence in southern Lebanon, despite a formal ceasefire, raises questions about the durability of the truce and the prospects for stability along Israel's northern border. European diplomats are closely monitoring the situation, as any escalation could have broader implications for security in the Mediterranean and beyond.
