Israeli strikes has killed 31 in Lebanon after fresh cross border hostilities with Hezbollah, Lebanese health authorities have confirmed.
The deadly raids, carried out overnight, targeted areas in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut known to be strongholds of Hezbollah. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said at least 31 people were killed, while more than 100 others sustained injuries.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure and senior operatives. Israeli officials described the operation as a response to recent rocket and drone fire launched from Lebanese territory into northern Israel.
Security sources in Lebanon reported that several senior Hezbollah members were among those killed, though the group has yet to release an official list of casualties. The identities of the alleged commanders were not immediately disclosed.
Residents in Beirut’s southern districts reported multiple explosions before dawn, with plumes of smoke rising above residential and commercial buildings. In southern towns near the border, emergency crews were seen pulling survivors from rubble as ambulances ferried the wounded to hospitals already under strain.
The escalation follows days of rising tension along the Israel Lebanon frontier, with both sides trading accusations of ceasefire violations. Hezbollah has framed its cross border attacks as retaliation for Israeli military actions elsewhere in the region, while Israel insists it will not tolerate threats to its northern communities.
Analysts warn the latest round of violence risks dragging Lebanon deeper into a widening regional confrontation, at a time when the country is grappling with severe economic and political crises.
International calls for restraint have intensified, but with senior figures reportedly killed and retaliatory rhetoric hardening, fears are growing that the conflict could spiral further in the coming days.
Authorities on both sides have placed security forces on heightened alert as diplomatic efforts seek to prevent a broader war.
