Air strikes in southern Lebanon kill 13 as Israel-Hezbollah clashes persist

At least 13 people, including four women and a child, were killed in Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry, as hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah persist despite an extended ceasefire.

The ministry said eight of the victims, among them two women and a child, were killed in Haboush in the Nabatieh district.

The area had been placed under an evacuation order by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) prior to the strikes.

In separate incidents, four people, including two women, were killed in Zrarieh in the Sidon district, while another fatality was reported in Ain Baal in the Tyre district.

Authorities said at least 32 others were injured in the strikes carried out on Friday.

The escalation comes even as a three-week ceasefire extension remains in place, underscoring the fragility of efforts to de-escalate tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border.

On Saturday, the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said it had carried out attacks targeting Israeli soldiers and military vehicles inside Lebanon.

The renewed violence has heightened fears of a broader conflict in the region, with civilians bearing the brunt of the ongoing exchanges.

A US-brokered, 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, initiated on April 16, 2026, and extended for three weeks on April 25, 2026.

While designed to stop 2026 conflict, fighting continues, with Israel maintaining occupation in parts of southern Lebanon and reporting ongoing military operations, making the truce highly fragile.

UN Secretary General António Guterres commended the role of the US in facilitating the deal and urged all parties to fully respect and comply with international law at all times.

European Commission chief, Ursula von ​der Leyen, called the deal a relief, saying Europe would continue to "call for the full respect of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity".