Israeli air strikes killed 13 people in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, escalating military operations just days before scheduled peace talks between Israel and Lebanon are set to begin in Washington.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported that five people died in Nabatieh, including two civil defense workers. Another attack in Jibchit left four dead — among them a soldier and a Syrian citizen. In Bint Jbeil, four civilians were killed, including a child and a woman.
Lebanese authorities condemned the attacks, accusing Israel of showing complete disregard for all international norms.
The violence comes ahead of talks scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Washington, even as cross-border fighting intensifies. Israeli troops were seen deployed near the frontier, with smoke billowing over southern Lebanon amid ongoing exchanges between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem dismissed U.S. calls for the group to disarm, saying it would turn the battlefield into “hell” for Israeli forces.
Lebanese authorities say that since the April 17th ceasefire, at least 380 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured.
Meanwhile, the United Nations reported a sharp increase in drone activity over the last 24 hours in Sector West in southern Lebanon. UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said peacekeepers observed multiple drones flying over or near UN positions in Shama, Al-Mansouri, Al-Bayada, and Beit Leif.
“An armed quadcopter exploded after crossing Al-Bayada Hill,” Haq said. “At this stage, UNIFIL has not confirmed the origin of the drones observed.”
Separately, three presumed Hezbollah drones impacted an area near UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, where Israel Defense Forces troops were present.
