Israel Advances Beyond Litani River, Poised To Encircle Nabatieh as Hezbollah Fires Rockets

Israel’s military advanced beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon for the first time since 2006 and appeared poised to encircle Nabatieh, one of the region’s biggest cities.

Al Jazeera reported from Tyre that “Israel was expanding its air campaign in southern Lebanon and encircling Nabatieh,” describing a push to break through Hezbollah’s second and third lines of defence.

Al Jazeera

Lebanon’s military said in a statement that “two soldiers were seriously wounded as a result of being targeted inside a vehicle by a hostile Israeli drone” near Nabatieh.

Late on Saturday, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that at least one paramedic was killed and four others injured in an Israeli drone attack on the southern Lebanese village of Jebchit.

In retaliation on Saturday, Hezbollah said it fired rockets at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona and ambushed Israeli soldiers near Ghandouriyeh in southern Lebanon, saying it forced them to withdraw.

In northern Israel, residents described nonstop sirens as Hezbollah fired barrages from Lebanon, with the IDF saying it was preparing for the possibility of increased Hezbollah rocket fire toward the North.

ynetnews quoted Doron Shnaper, spokesman for the Kiryat Shmona municipality, saying, “Is this what a ceasefire looks like?” as he described “very heavy damage to stores and businesses” while noting “Fortunately, there are no physical injuries.”

Al Jazeera

The Times of Israel said Hezbollah fired multiple rockets and drones at Israel on Saturday afternoon and evening, with sirens sounding in northern communities as people rushed to shelters.

The IDF said rockets were launched at Safed, Kiryat Shmona and Karmiel, and that multiple rockets were intercepted throughout the day while others struck open areas.

The Jerusalem Post described a video from a Nahariya beach where missiles from a Hezbollah barrage hit the ocean, with beachgoers running for cover amid explosions.

As Israel pressed deeper into Lebanon, Middle East Eye said Israel issued three expulsion orders for residents of 13 villages in southern Lebanon, a day after Netanyahu said troops had pushed deeper into the country.

Middle East Eye also cited Lebanon’s health ministry figures that “Israel’s attacks have killed at least 3,355 people since the start of the war on 2 March,” and said the number increased by 31 compared to Thursday.

The same report said more than 1 million people have been displaced by Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, which it said has flattened entire towns and worsened the humanitarian situation.

Al Jazeera said Israel issued evacuation orders for at least 10 villages in southern Lebanon despite ongoing peace talks, and reported that “more than 20 percent of the population – about 1.2 million people – displaced by fighting.”

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced what he described as Israel’s “dangerous and unprecedented” escalation in the south, urging an immediate ceasefire and insisting that a “scorched-earth policy” would not ensure Israel’s security.