Thirteen Killed in Israeli Strikes on Southern Lebanon Amid Ceasefire Extension
The Lebanese health ministry reported casualties in multiple districts as the IDF confirmed approximately 50 strikes within a 24-hour period.
Primary source: BBC World News. Full source links and update notes are below.
Fast summary
Start here
- At least 13 people, including four women and a child, were killed in air strikes targeting Haboush, Zrarieh, and Ain Baal.
- The fatalities occur during a three-week extension of a US-backed ceasefire intended to pause hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
- Since the current phase of conflict began in early March, 2,659 people have been killed in Lebanon and 17 Israeli soldiers have died.
What happened
At least 13 people were killed and 32 others injured on Friday following a series of Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanon. According to the Lebanese health ministry, the fatalities included four women and one child. The deadliest strike occurred in Haboush, located in the Nabatieh district, where eight people were killed in an area that had been subject to an Israeli military evacuation order. Additional deaths were reported in Zrarieh in the Sidon district and Ain Baal in the Tyre district.
What's new in this update
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Saturday morning that they had conducted approximately 50 strikes in southern Lebanon over the previous 24 hours. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army's Chief of Staff, Gen Rudolph Heickl, met with US Gen Joseph Clearfield at the Beirut air base. Clearfield leads the committee monitoring the US-backed ceasefire. During these talks, officials emphasized the critical role of the Lebanese army in maintaining state authority during the current phase of the conflict.
Key details
Fighting has continued despite the three-week extension of the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on April 23. While Hezbollah was not a formal party to the agreement, the group indicated it would comply if Israel also respected the terms. However, the IDF has continued air raids and maintained an occupation of approximately 10 kilometers of Lebanese territory. One Israeli soldier was also reported killed in combat on Thursday, bringing the total Israeli troop fatalities to 17 since early March.
Background and context
The current escalation follows an Israeli and US attack on Iran on February 28, which resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader. This prompted retaliatory rocket and drone strikes from Hezbollah on March 2, leading to a significant Israeli military re-entry into southern Lebanon. Since then, the death toll in Lebanon has reached 2,659 people, a figure that includes 103 healthcare workers and emergency responders. This follows a previous conflict that briefly ended with a November 2024 ceasefire.
What to watch next
Diplomatic efforts are now focusing on a potential direct meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The US embassy in Beirut suggested such a meeting could provide Lebanon with concrete guarantees regarding its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The US has signaled its intention to support the restoration of Lebanese state authority across all territories as part of a long-term resolution to the conflict.
Why it matters
The persistent violence despite a US-brokered ceasefire extension underscores the difficulty of maintaining a durable truce and the precarious state of Lebanese sovereignty.
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