Israeli warplanes struck Ansaar, Deir al-Zahrani and areas around Nabatieh early Saturday, killing at least 11 people and wounding 19, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.
Israeli warplanes conducted a series of strikes on southern Lebanese towns early Saturday morning, killing at least 11 people and wounding 19, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it targeted what it described as a Hezbollah command centre in Ansaar in response to an operation carried out by the group against Israeli forces operating in the security zone under a ceasefire agreement.
The Israeli military claimed it killed Ali Samir al-Hajj Hassan, described as a sector commander in Hezbollah's Radwan Force. According to the Israeli military spokesman Ella Voelker, the command centre was used by Hezbollah to oversee activities in the region. The military also claimed that several other militants who carried out attacks against Israeli forces were killed in the strike.
Voelker said members of al-Hajj Hassan's family were present in the military facility and were wounded in the strike, but stated that they were not targets of the attack. She asserted that the family members were used as human shields and that the strike was conducted precisely against al-Hajj Hassan, who she said was a legitimate target under international law.
Hezbollah said in a statement that it would respond to Israeli attacks with what it deemed appropriate, and called on the Lebanese government to immediately halt negotiations with Israel.
President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli strikes as violations of the ceasefire framework agreement and the operations of the military coordination group, saying they breached international law protecting civilians. He noted that an entire family from Ansaar, including children and women, was killed in the strikes.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned of the danger posed by the Israeli escalation targeting Nabatieh, Ansaar, Deir al-Zahrani and neighbouring villages. He stated that the bombing and intimidation of residents undermine efforts to stabilize the south and insisted that the seven victims of the Ansaar strike, including children and women, are not military infrastructure or military targets.
Salam stressed that any military structures on Lebanese territory, if they exist, are the exclusive responsibility of the Lebanese state through the army and legitimate institutions, and that Israel has no right to use Lebanese territory or endanger civilians. He demanded an immediate ceasefire and said the security of Lebanese citizens and their right to live on their land are not subjects for negotiation or compromise.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri characterized the strikes on Ansaar and Deir al-Zahrani as massacres, saying they killed entire families composed mostly of women and children. He described the attacks as part of a continued war of genocide and stated that they demonstrate Israeli political and military leadership disregard for any agreements, laws or efforts to end the war and tension in Lebanon and the region.
Berri called on all Lebanese political forces to address the Israeli aggression from a national perspective free of sectarian or partisan considerations, and urged sponsors of ceasefire negotiations to take responsibility for halting what he called genocide before it is too late.
