Israel targets 6 southern Lebanese towns

BEIRUT

Israeli airstrikes early Friday struck multiple towns in Lebanon’s southern districts of Tyre and Bint Jbeil, causing injuries and significant property damage, according to Lebanon’s state-run news agency.

The agency reported that Israeli warplanes targeted towns including Tayr Harfa, As-Sultaniyah, Tibnine, Shaqra, Kounine, and Khirbet Selm throughout the night and into Friday morning.

Additional strikes hit a building in central Tyre, injuring a number of residents.

Meanwhile, Israeli reconnaissance and combat drones continued hovering over the region, firing illumination rounds along the border with Israel, according to local sources.

Israeli machine gun fire targeted forested areas near the villages of Ramyeh, Aita al-Shaab, and Qouzah along the international border early Friday morning, while artillery shelling on Alma al-Shaab, Wadi Sulouqi, Majdal Selm, and Bint Jbeil caused severe damage to shops and homes.

A massive Israeli air campaign in Lebanon has been ongoing since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, an escalation in year-long cross-border warfare since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.

More than 3,100 people have been killed and over 13,800 injured in Israeli attacks since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel launched a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi