Israeli Airstrikes Kill At Least 12 In South Lebanon As Netanyahu Urges Lebanese To Join Israel

Israeli airstrikes on south Lebanon killed at least 12 people on Wednesday, a medical source told AFP, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Lebanese people to join Israel's fight against Hezbollah.

The Express Tribune reported that the medical source said the number of martyrs from the Israeli airstrikes in the town of Tayr Debba is eight, and in Deir Qanun al-Nahr it is four.

Al Jazeera

France 24 said Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon killed at least 13 people on Wednesday as Netanyahu urged the Lebanese people to join Israel's fight against Hezbollah.

France 24 also reported that Israeli forces seized a local councillor and a municipal worker from the border town of Kfarshuba, while Israel said it "apprehended" two people who approached its soldiers.

The Express Tribune added that Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli strikes on more than 30 locations in southern and eastern Lebanon on Wednesday, including on Tayr Debba and Deir Qanun al-Nahr.

Netanyahu delivered a video message to the Lebanese people in which he said, "Israel is not at war with you. We are at war with Hezbollah, that has taken your country hostage... We yearn for peace with you, with Lebanon," as Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon.

In the same message, Netanyahu told the Lebanese to "Seize your future. Join Israel. Build safety and prosperity for all of our children," and said that once Hezbollah is dismantled, "the possibilities are endless. And they are sky high."

Al-Jazeera Net

The Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu urged the Lebanese people to “join Israel” in peace and reject Iran and Hezbollah, declaring that “Israel is not at war with you,” but is only looking to oust the Iran-backed terror group.

The Times of Israel also said Lebanese security sources reported Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 13 people throughout the day, while the IDF said the strikes targeted Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure.

The Standard (HK) said Netanyahu claimed Israel had killed nearly 10,000 Hezbollah fighters and said, "We're systematically clearing out South Lebanon of these fanatics."

While Netanyahu urged the Lebanese to join Israel against Hezbollah, Al-Jazeera Net said Hezbollah continued its response to daily Israeli attacks through drone strikes and announced the execution of 10 attacks on sites, vehicles, and soldiers of the Israeli army in southern Lebanon.

“Netanyahu urges Lebanese to reject Hezbollah and pursue peace with Israel - CHOSUNBIZ EnglishInternational Netanyahu urges Lebanese to reject Hezbollah and pursue peace with Israel Lebanese urged to choose peace over Hezbollah as Israel pitches a shared future By Albert Jinwoo You Published 2026”

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Al-Jazeera Net reported that Hezbollah said it targeted a transport vehicle in the town of Al-Qantara that it described as "loaded with possessions from civilians' homes that the soldiers are stealing," and said the vehicle burned for about an hour after being hit.

Al-Jazeera Net also said Hezbollah targeted gatherings of vehicles and soldiers of the Israeli army in the town of Al-Bayada and in the vicinity of the town of Yahmor al-Shuqayf via rocket salvos and artillery shells fired in batches.

The Express Tribune said Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, and it said neither Israel nor Hezbollah has observed an April ceasefire in Lebanon.

Al-Jazeera Net added that Israel continues its assaults on Lebanon, violating the fragile ceasefire that began on April 17 and was extended until early July, and it said the toll of victims from the Israeli aggression on Lebanon since March 2 rose to 3,696 killed and 11,413 injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.