Israel has launched a new round of attacks in southern Lebanon, resulting in 11 deaths. The Israeli military claims it killed a senior Hezbollah commander in retaliation for attacks on Israeli soldiers.
Foreign news agencies reported, citing Lebanese officials, that Israel began a new round of attacks in southern Lebanon in the early hours of Saturday, 15 Aug 2026, causing 11 deaths. This became one of the deadliest single-day attacks since the ceasefire agreement was announced in June.
The attack occurred around 4:30 a.m. Saturday. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam revealed that seven people died when a house on the outskirts of Ansar, about 70 kilometers south of Beirut, was targeted. State media reported that among the dead were three children and two women.
"Israel must stop escalating this violence," said Salam. "The safety of our people and their right to live on their land are not negotiable or subject to bargaining."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have killed Ali Samir Al-Hajj Hassan, commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, following attacks on Israeli troops. They also said the commander's family was affected as they were used as human shields.
A few hours later, another wave of attacks struck the town of Deir al-Zahrani, killing four and injuring five, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Health.
Lebanon was drawn into a war between Israel, the U.S., and Iran on 2 March when Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group, fired rockets into Israel in response to the killing of Iran’s top leader.
Israel responded by bombing across Lebanon and sending forces to occupy much of southern Lebanon, controlling about 5% of Lebanese territory.
In June, representatives of both countries agreed on a ceasefire framework calling for Hezbollah to disarm, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and deployment of Lebanese army forces to oversee the area.
However, Hezbollah did not participate in the agreement and rejected direct talks, emphasizing that "Israel must clearly understand that attacks, violations, and imposed situations cannot continue and will be met with appropriate responses to protect Lebanon, its people, sovereignty, and national dignity."
Although fighting decreased after the June agreement, Israel has continued attacks and demolition of buildings in southern Lebanon.
Negotiators from Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to meet for the eighth round of talks in September, though exact dates and times have not yet been set.
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Source:bbc