According to Lebanon’s health ministry, Israeli airstrikes resulted in 14 fatalities and 37 injuries on Sunday, as the Israeli military urged inhabitants to evacuate seven towns beyond the “buffer zone” that it had occupied prior to a ceasefire, which has not completely stopped hostilities.
The casualties reported on Sunday included two women and two children, as stated by the health ministry. Additionally, Israel reported the death of one of its soldiers amidst increasing tensions surrounding a fragile ceasefire.
A representative from the Israeli military indicated on X that Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group, was breaching the ceasefire, prompting Israel to take action. Residents were advised to move north and west away from the affected towns, located north of the Litani River and the area in southern Lebanon controlled by Israeli forces. Despite the ceasefire, military operations have persisted, with the army claiming to have targeted Hezbollah fighters, rocket launchers, and a weapons depot.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated during a cabinet session in Jerusalem, “Our primary concern is the safety of Israel, our soldiers, and our communities.”
He added, “We are taking decisive action based on the agreements we’ve made with the United States, and also, by the way, with Lebanon.”
Military vehicles navigate through destroyed structures in southern Lebanon on Sunday. (Jalaa Marey/AFP/Getty Images)
Hezbollah responded by stating that it would continue its assaults on Israeli forces within Lebanon and on northern Israeli towns as long as Israel persisted with its “ceasefire violations.”
The Iran-backed faction also mentioned in a statement that it would not wait for diplomacy that has “proved ineffective” or count on Lebanese authorities that had “failed to safeguard the country.”
Earlier on Sunday, Hezbollah claimed it had engaged Israeli troops inside Lebanon, as well as the rescue team that arrived to assist them. The Israeli military confirmed that one soldier was killed and six others injured. The Israeli military also reported intercepting three drones before they entered Israeli airspace, following sirens in northern Israel.
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire, established on April 16 and extended to mid-May, has significantly reduced hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah; however, both parties have continued to exchange fire, blaming each other for violations.
The killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil by Israel has complicated efforts to prolong the tenuous ceasefire and intensified resentment in southern Lebanon, where many feel Israel is targeting individuals at will, despite the truce.
Since the onset of the latest conflict between Hezbollah and Israel on March 2, more than 2,500 individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes.
This count includes 277 women, 177 children, and 100 medical personnel, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
The ministry does not differentiate between militants and civilians, and Hezbollah has not disclosed a total count of its casualties. The organization has held group funerals for numerous fighters in recent days.
Hezbollah’s attacks have resulted in the deaths of two civilians in Israel, while Israel claims that 16 of its soldiers have been killed in Lebanon since March 2.