Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed 11 people on Saturday, according to multiple news outlets, including The Times of Israel, BBC, and Al Jazeera. The strikes followed a Hezbollah attack that wounded three Israeli soldiers, as reported by The Times of Israel.
The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed the death toll to CBC, which said the strikes hit areas in the country’s south. The Times of Israel reported that the Israeli military action came in response to the earlier Hezbollah assault on its troops.
The Guardian added a separate claim, citing firefighters who said Israel was deliberately starting wildfires in southern Lebanon. That report was not part of the main casualty coverage and has not been independently verified by this outlet.
The escalation marks a sharp uptick in cross-border violence between Israel and the Iran-backed group, which has traded fire intermittently for months. Saturday’s events suggest both sides are willing to raise the stakes, with Hezbollah striking Israeli forces and Israel responding with heavier bombardment.
According to Al Jazeera, the attacks have intensified in recent days, though the outlet did not provide a specific timeline for the escalation. The BBC noted that authorities in Lebanon attributed the deaths to the Israeli strikes, without specifying whether all 11 were civilians or combatants.
The situation remains fluid, with no immediate statement from the Israeli military on the reported casualties or the wildfire allegations. The Times of Israel’s report indicates the strikes were a direct response to the wounding of its soldiers, framing the action as retaliation.
What to watch next: whether Israel expands its strikes beyond the south and how Hezbollah responds to the mounting death toll.
