Israeli army says it launched interceptor at suspected aerial target in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army said late Wednesday that it launched an interceptor at a suspected aerial target detected near its troops in southern Lebanon amid Israeli airstrikes and shelling across the region. In a statement on the US social media platform X, the army said no warning sirens were activated, in line with its policy. It provided no further details about the target or whether it had been intercepted. The announcement came amid a series of Israeli attacks reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

Israeli warplanes carried out two consecutive strikes on Kfar Tebnit, while other strikes targeted the outskirts of Barashit and the Wadi al-Hujayr area, according to the agency. Israeli troops carried out a demolition in the town of Deir Mimas, NNA reported. The agency also reported that two explosive-laden drones detonated above Mansouri after flying low over the town and neighboring Qlayleh and Buyut al-Sayyad. Israeli aircraft were also flying at low altitude over southern Lebanon, conducting mock raids and releasing flares, according to NNA.

A US-sponsored agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel on June 26 calls for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army and the disarmament of armed groups. Despite the agreement, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued, killing at least 4,386 people and injuring 12,407 others since March 2 while displacing more than 1 million people. Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war, while during the latest conflict, Israeli forces advanced around 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory.