Israeli air attacks on Lebanon kill at least four

Israeli air attacks have killed at least four individuals and wounded 20 others in southern Lebanon in the latest Israeli escalation despite a truce.

Key points

• The strikes began at dawn on Sunday and hit Nabatieh, Arab Salim, Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Kfar Reman, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) documented.
• When Hezbollah attacked Israel during the US-Israel war on Iran, Israel has carried out air strikes throughout Lebanon and rolled out a ground invasion, since March.
• Lebanon's Health Ministry documented that at least two residents were killed in an Israeli air strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
• Earlier this week, Israel remarked it had taken "operational control" of the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatieh.
• Another strike hit the Sayyida Masouma Garden in the city, destroying what remained of the municipal park after it was hit the previous day.

In practice, the strikes began at dawn on Sunday and hit Nabatieh, Arab Salim, Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Kfar Reman, Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) documented.

Two women were killed and six individuals wounded in an air attack on Arab Salim after Israeli forces issued a forced displacement order for a building in the town, NNA noted.

Meanwhile, an air strike on Nabatieh city additionally destroyed a historical building owned by the brother of a Lebanese member of parliament, damaging a number of buildings nearby.

In Kfar Reman, an air attack destroyed the home of the town's late former mayor. Five individuals were treated in Nabatieh hospitals and discharged.

Israel notes it carried out the strikes in response to Hezbollah launching two drones towards its forces in southern Lebanon, describing the attack as a "blatant violation" by the Lebanese armed group.

When Hezbollah attacked Israel during the US-Israel war on Iran, Israel has carried out air strikes throughout Lebanon and rolled out a ground invasion, since March. Lebanon notes the attacks have killed more than 4, 300 residents.

Israeli forces are still operating inside a self-declared "security zone" regarding 10km (six miles) deep inside Lebanon.

While Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement afterwards that month, the number of attacks has fell since a US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding on the broader conflict in June.

But Lebanon still reports Israeli strikes, artillery shelling and widespread demolitions of civilian buildings in southern villages and towns.

As Israel noted it struck Hezbollah targets in response to a drone launch towards its soldiers, on Friday, Israeli strikes in the country's south and east killed four individuals, including an 18-year-old woman, authorities stated.

Earlier this week, Israel remarked it had taken "operational control" of the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatieh. Hezbollah has not commented on the announcement.

Israel is additionally considering pulling its troops occupying Lebanese territory closer to the Israeli border. Israeli public broadcaster Kan, citing security sources, remarked the military was preparing to scale back its presence and reposition three to four kilometres closer to the Israeli border, along a new "Grey Line" where outposts would be built.

That would pull troops back from parts of the "Yellow Line". It extends north of the Litani River. The plan has not been approved by Israel's political leadership, and the handover of territory to the Lebanese army remains unresolved, Kan remarked.

Hezbollah condemned Israel's campaign. It it remarked was taking place against the backdrop of "complete international silence and blatant American complicity". The group reiterated its rejection of Beirut's "fruitless direct negotiations" with Israel.

As Doha pressed for de-escalation, qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani spoke by phone with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Saturday, Qatar's Foreign Ministry remarked.

Taken together, the developments around israeli air attacks on Lebanon kill at least four point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.