‘Belt of fire’ in southern Lebanon as Israeli jets drop bombs
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) is reporting that Israeli jets carried out more than 15 air attacks on southern parts of the country, targeting forested areas and orchards between the towns of Zebqin, al-Shaitiya and al-Qleila.
The bombings caused a “belt of fire” stretching between the towns, the agency reported.
Israel claims attacks on 30 Hezbollah sites overnight
The Israeli military said the sites targeted in southern Lebanon included rocket launchers and “military infrastructure”. It listed the areas hit as al-Jebbayn, Naqoura, Deir Sirkin and Zibqin.
The statement came after Lebanon’s NNA news agency reported that Israeli air attacks in southern parts of the country at dawn has caused a “belt of fire” to erupt between the towns of Zibqin, al-Shaitiya and al-Qleila. The agency also said that Israeli air attacks on Alma ash-Shaab in the morning sparked intense fires in the forests, and that Israeli jets also raided the area between the towns of Deir Siryan and Zawtar al-Sharqiya.
Israel striking deeper into Lebanon
The overnight strikes were heavy and extensive. Huge explosions were heard across southern Lebanon, with at least 20 Israeli air strikes in a span of just a few hours.
The Israeli army is saying it hit about 30 rocket launchers as well as other military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in four different locations in southern Lebanon, adding that they pose a direct threat to Israeli civilians.
In recent days we have been seeing an increase in the frequency of Israeli strikes. And they’re no longer just confined to the border area – which has become a de facto military zone.
They’re striking deeper inside Lebanon up to the Litani River. The river flows through southern Lebanon to the border. So Israel seems to be carrying out a strategy here to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities in this border region up to the Litani.
At least one killed in Israeli raid on motorcycle in southern Lebanon: Report
Israel has carried out a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Meiss el-Jabal town, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).
The Lebanon 24 broadcaster reported that the target was a motorcycle. It cited the Health Ministry’s emergency centre as saying that at least one person was killed and another injured in the attack.
Mapping 11 months of Israel-Lebanon cross-border attacks
Israel, Hezbollah and other Lebanese groups have exchanged more than 9,613 attacks between October 7 and September 6.
About 82 percent of these attacks – 7,845 – were carried out by Israeli forces and killed at least 646 people in Lebanon.
Hezbollah and other armed groups were responsible for 1,768 attacks that killed at least 32 Israelis.
Hezbollah claims four attacks on Israeli military sites
Lebanon’s Hezbollah armed group has said its fighters targeted a group of Israeli soldiers near the Raheb military site near the Lebanese-Israeli border with rockets, without elaborating on the results of the 08:30am (05:30 GMT) attack.
In a separate statement published on Telegram, the group also claimed to have attacked the Ruwaisat al-Qarn military site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms at 10:25am (07:25 GMT) with rockets. It did not say what the results were.
The third Hezbollah attack of the day came at the same time and the same area targeting the Zabadin barracks in Shebaa Farms.
At 12:25pm (09:25 GMT), the group hit a bunker where Israeli soldiers were positioned in the Matla military site “with appropriate weapons”.
There was no immediate comment on the attacks from the Israeli army.
White phosphorous attack reported in southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s state-run news agency NNA is reporting an Israeli strike on the southern town of Khiam using phosphorus, a chemical substance dispersed in artillery shells, bombs, and rockets that ignites when exposed to oxygen.
The use of white phosphorous by Israel has been documented by watchdogs including Human Rights Watch. Under international humanitarian law, the use of this type of incendiary ammunition is unlawful in populated areas and does not meet the legal requirement to minimise civilian harm.
