Southern Lebanon witnessed a dangerous military escalation on Saturday, resulting in the martyrdom of five citizens and the injury of others, in an initial toll from a series of intense airstrikes and artillery shelling. The Israeli attacks targeted more than 30 locations in various towns and villages, causing widespread destruction to property and infrastructure. Among the martyrs was the mukhtar of the town of Al-Rihan, who died in a direct targeting of the town, which is part of the Jezzine district.
These rapid field developments come at a time when diplomatic reports speak of intense American-Iranian efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement. According to informed sources, there are endeavors to conclude an understanding in the coming hours that includes files related to Lebanon, Iran, and the Gulf states. However, the field appears to be moving in a direction contrary to de-escalation, with widespread Israeli violations continuing.
The Israeli occupation army issued forced evacuation orders for residents of more than 20 towns and villages in the South, demanding them to immediately head north of the Zahrani River. Lebanese circles considered these warnings a prelude to expanding the scope of aerial and artillery bombardment, in a clear violation of the fragile ceasefire agreement in effect since last April. These movements aim to empty the area of its residents and facilitate ground military operations.
In the Jezzine district, the losses were not limited to the martyrdom of the mukhtar of Al-Rihan; an employee of Electricité du Liban was injured in a raid carried out by a drone. The area was subjected to a series of violent airstrikes, specifically targeting the towns of Sajed and Kfarhouna. Field sources also reported that occupation aircraft carried out three raids near a Lebanese army checkpoint at the entrance to Kfarhouna, causing panic.
As for the Tyre district, drones and warplanes continued to target residential areas, where a citizen was martyred in the town of Ma'raka due to a precise airstrike. Intense artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of the towns of Srifa, Qalawiya, and Majdal Zoun, coinciding with intensive reconnaissance aircraft flights. War raids also included the vicinity of the historic town of Qana and the towns of Al-Bazouriya and Rashkananiyeh, leading to extensive material damage.
The Nabatieh Governorate received a significant share of the aggression, with one person martyred in a raid targeting the town of Kfar Roumman, while another raid completely destroyed a house in the same town. In the town of Deir Al-Zahrani, the shelling of a residential building led to the martyrdom of two people and the complete destruction of the facility. The neighborhoods of Nabatieh city and its outskirts were also subjected to continuous artillery shelling throughout the day, disrupting general movement in the city.
In a notable field development, the Lebanese army announced that one of its soldiers was seriously injured as a result of a deliberate targeting by an Israeli drone. The military statement clarified that the drone pursued the soldier while he was moving near Al-Najda Hospital in Nabatieh, then targeted him a second time on the Kfar Roumman road. This incident is part of a series of targetings that have affected the Lebanese army, leading to the martyrdom of 30 soldiers since last March.
On the operational front of the resistance, Hezbollah announced the execution of four qualitative attacks targeting occupation vehicles and forces infiltrating the South. Hezbollah used 'Ababil' kamikaze drones and guided missiles in its attacks, confirming direct hits among the enemy ranks. The operations focused on destroying advanced military vehicles that were moving in border contact areas.
A statement by Hezbollah clarified that its fighters were able to destroy a 'Yaghi' military vehicle at the riverbed on the outskirts of the town of Zawtar Al-Sharqiya using a kamikaze drone. A second operation targeted a 'Namera' vehicle at Talat Al-Sal'a in the town of Al-Qantara, which is one of the fortified vehicles relied upon by the occupation army. These operations reflect the resistance's ability to monitor and target Israeli movements with high precision.
In the Majdal Zoun area, Hezbollah fighters carried out two separate attacks; the first targeted a gathering of vehicles and soldiers with a concentrated missile barrage that caused audible explosions. The second attack targeted a military bulldozer that was carrying out fortification and bulldozing work in the vicinity of the town, where it was directly hit by a kamikaze drone. These strikes aim to hinder the occupation's attempts to establish new military points within Lebanese territory.
Official statistics indicate that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression since early March has reached 3,711 martyrs and more than 11,000 wounded. These figures reflect the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe that Lebanon is experiencing amid the continued indiscriminate shelling of populated areas. Medical and civil defense teams face extreme difficulties in reaching targeted areas due to continued hostile overflights.
Also in the field, sources reported that occupation forces carried out extensive demolition operations inside the border town of Khiam, in an attempt to change the geographical features of the area. Khiam is considered a strategic point that has witnessed fierce battles in recent days, as the occupation tries to control its commanding hills. These demolitions coincide with artillery shelling targeting the outskirts of the town of Al-Sraira and the Al-Qatrani area in Western Bekaa.
The Israeli occupation seeks through this escalation to deepen its infiltration, which in some points has reached more than 10 kilometers away from the Blue Line. This infiltration is the deepest since the withdrawal of occupation forces from Southern Lebanon in 2000, which puts the region before open scenarios. Ground confrontations continue on several axes, amid desperate Israeli attempts to control strategic hills.
In conclusion, the situation in Southern Lebanon remains subject to international political tug-of-war and the inflamed field, with the absence of any real guarantees for civilian protection. While Lebanese await the results of diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, the Israeli war machine continues to claim lives and destroy villages. The coming days remain crucial in determining the fate of the ceasefire agreement, which is now faltering under the weight of continuous raids.
An hostile Israeli drone targeted a soldier in the army while he was moving near Al-Najda Hospital in Nabatieh, then targeted him again, which led to his serious injury.
شارك برأيك
Bloody Israeli Escalation in Southern Lebanon: Martyrs, Wounded, Direct Targeting of the Army, and Hezbollah Responds