ISTANBUL

At least 19 people were killed Sunday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building in southern Lebanon, Lebanese media reported.

The state-run National News Agency said warplanes hit a three-story building in the town of Seir el-Gharbiya in the Nabatieh district, killing 19 people, mostly women and children.

The outlet said civil defense and ambulance teams are continuing efforts to remove rubble and search for survivors.

The attack came as Israel expanded its military assaults on Lebanon since Monday, following limited rocket fire by Hezbollah amid broader regional tensions linked to the war launched by Israel and the US against Iran.

Israel has killed more than 4,000 people and wounded 17,000 during an offensive in Lebanon that began in October 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024.

Despite a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah since November 2024, Israel has continued near-daily violations that have left hundreds dead and wounded.