Lebanon death toll rises as drone strikes coincide with displacement orders and diplomatic talks
The latest violence underscores the fragility of the current ceasefire as Washington brokers direct negotiations between Beirut and Jerusalem, while Hezbollah maintains its opposition to the diplomatic process.
At least eight people, including two children, were killed in three Israeli drone strikes targeting vehicles on a major highway in the Jiyeh area, approximately 20km south of Beirut. The attacks occurred on Wednesday, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, and were photographed by Lebanon’s National News Agency, which showed vehicles with exteriors that were charred and torn apart.
The strikes took place as Lebanon and Israel prepared for a new round of direct negotiations in Washington, brokered by the United States. Hezbollah, which has been launching attacks on northern Israel and on Israeli troops occupying a section of southern Lebanon, has stated it opposes these upcoming diplomatic efforts.
Concurrently, the Israeli military issued forced displacement orders for residents of six southern Lebanese villages: Meiss el-Jabal, Yanouh, Burj Shemali, Hula, Debl, and Aabbasiyyeh. The military warned that remaining in these areas "endangers their life" and instructed residents to move at least 1,000 metres to "open areas".
Al Jazeera reporter Zeina Khodr, reporting from Tyre, noted that the conflict is escalating and taking a high toll on civilians. She highlighted that one of the few remaining hospitals in the Tyre district is located within the displacement zone, complicating medical access for the estimated 100,000 people still living in the area.
The total death toll in Lebanon since the Israeli invasion and bombardment began on March 2 is now more than 2,800. During the current truce, at least 380 people have been killed. Over a million people have been displaced, contributing to a growing humanitarian crisis in southern Lebanon.
