Lebanon health ministry reports 31 dead in Israeli strikes as ground campaign expands
Israeli forces have moved beyond the Yellow Line into Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, prompting Hezbollah to claim it repelled advances, while strikes near the Qaraoun Dam raise infrastructure concerns.
Israeli military operations in Lebanon escalated significantly on Tuesday, with strikes in the south and east killing 31 people and wounding 40, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The casualties include at least four children and three women. This escalation marks one of the heaviest bombardments since a US-brokered ceasefire was established in mid-April. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that substantial forces are securing strategic positions to reinforce a security buffer zone, accusing both Hezbollah and other parties of violating the truce.
Hezbollah reported confronting Israeli troops in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and claimed responsibility for drone attacks. Additional strikes near the Qaraoun Dam in eastern Lebanon resulted in further casualties and infrastructure damage. The intensification of hostilities has raised concerns regarding the stability of regional truces, with Iran formally accusing Washington of breaching a ceasefire following separate US strikes, threatening potential retaliation.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) expanded ground operations beyond the "Yellow Line" into southern towns, including Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, which overlooks Nabatieh. An Israeli military official told AFP that troops had begun operating beyond the Israel-announced boundary, which runs approximately 10 kilometres inside Lebanese territory. Hezbollah stated its fighters repelled an Israeli force that had moved toward the town following airstrikes and heavy artillery fire, claiming responsibility for drone and rocket attacks on Israeli positions.
In eastern Lebanon, the health ministry reported that an Israeli airstrike on the town of Mashghara in West Bekaa resulted in 11 deaths, including two girls and a woman, and 15 wounded. The Israeli military said it launched strikes on "Hezbollah infrastructure sites where terrorists' activity was identified" in the area. Meanwhile, the Litani River Authority issued a warning that any targeting of the Qaraoun Dam could lead to catastrophic risks for downstream residents and infrastructure.
Lebanese authorities say more than 3,100 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since March 2, when Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the war. UN secretary general spokesperson Farhan Haq noted that UN peacekeepers detected 91 airspace violations on Monday, the highest number since the cessation of hostilities came into effect. The UN also reported 399 firing incidents attributed to the Israeli army and 11 trajectories of projectiles attributed to Hezbollah.
