Several Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday killed at least 11 people, including two women and three children, and wounded 19 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Seven people were killed when Israeli warplanes struck a house in Ansar village, while four more were killed in a separate strike on Deir al-Zahrani. The report described the attacks as among the deadliest in Lebanon since a US-mediated ceasefire took effect on April 16.
Lebanon’s state news agency NNA said further airstrikes were carried out across southern Lebanon and described them as the deepest strikes into Lebanese territory in two months. The Israeli military said it had targeted a “central headquarters” of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force in Ansar. It said Radwan battalion commander Ali Samir al-Hajj Hassan was killed in the strike.
Israel said Hassan’s family members were inside the alleged military headquarters during the attack but were not targets. Hezbollah said it would give an appropriate response. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said those killed in Ansar were not at a military facility, while President Joseph Aoun called the attack a clear message against efforts to implement the ceasefire agreement.