Israeli Strikes Kill 39 In Lebanon, IDF Targets Hezbollah In Beirut And Southern Towns

Lebanon said Israeli strikes killed 39 people in another day of intense attacks, with the health ministry reporting that an Israeli strike on the southern town of Saksakiyeh killed at least seven people, including a child.

The Israel Defense Forces said it had been targeting Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and was "aware of reports regarding harm to uninvolved civilians," while the BBC reported that the strikes came after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire deal between the governments of Israel and Lebanon on 16 April.

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The BBC said the IDF stated that it struck "Hezbollah terrorists operating from within a structure used for military purposes" in the area, adding that details of the incident were under review.

In parallel, the BBC reported that the Lebanese health ministry said another Israeli strike on a motorbike in Nabatieh hit "a Syrian national and his 12-year-old daughter," with the drone attacking a second time after they moved away and then targeting the girl directly for a third time.

The BBC also said Israeli forces and Hezbollah continued to trade fire after the ceasefire announcement, with Hezbollah targeting northern Israel with a drone that the Israeli military said wounded three soldiers.

The Council on Foreign Relations newsletter said Israel bombed Beirut for the first time yesterday since it agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon last month, and it described the attack on the city’s suburbs as underscoring how fighting could pose an obstacle to a regional peace deal.

It added that Israel’s military said the attack killed a Hezbollah commander in Beirut’s suburbs, while Hezbollah did not immediately comment.

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The BBC reported that the Lebanese health ministry said the raid on Saksakiyeh "resulted in an initial toll of seven martyrs, including a girl, and 15 wounded, including three children," and it said the IDF described the strike as involving precise munitions and aerial surveillance.

The Christian Science Monitor said Hezbollah uses social media channels to trumpet its steady stream of attacks against Israeli military forces now occupying southern Lebanon, and it described Hezbollah posts listing precise timings and locations of strikes.

The Christian Science Monitor quoted a Hezbollah special forces officer saying, "We are still strong today. Our tactics have changed, we changed everything," as it argued Hezbollah’s response continued even after Israel’s air campaign in Lebanon.

France 24 reported that the Lebanese government announced on Wednesday that at least 182 people were killed and more than 837 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut and several areas across the country, and it said the government designated Thursday as a national day of mourning.

France 24 also said the Lebanese Health Ministry announced that the simultaneous Israeli strikes left 182 dead and 890 wounded in a new non-final toll, and it quoted the ministry saying that "today’s Israeli strikes, in a second non-final tally, led to 182 martyrs and 890 wounded."

France 24 further reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened Israel with a response that would 'make it regret' if its aggression against Lebanon continues, while Israel said Lebanon is not covered by the ceasefire in the war between Iran and the United States.

In parallel, the BBC said Lebanon’s health ministry does not distinguish combatants from civilians as it reported that Israeli attacks have killed more than 120 people across the country in the last week.

The BBC also said Israel’s stated aim is to create what it describes as a Hezbollah-free security zone along the border, and it reported that officials say entire villages have been destroyed in those areas.