Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed that Israeli airstrikes on two villages on Saturday killed at least nine people, with additional strikes reported in other regions. The escalating conflict has resulted in significant civilian casualties, marking another deadly day in the ongoing cross-border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.
In Maaysra, a Shiite Muslim-majority village in a predominantly Christian mountain region north of Beirut, five people were killed and 14 others wounded in an Israeli strike, according to the ministry. The village, typically not associated with Hezbollah strongholds, was severely impacted, with emergency crews seen trying to clear debris from destroyed buildings.
Further south, in the Shouf district’s Barja, an Israeli strike killed four people and injured 14 more. The National News Agency (NNA) also reported additional Israeli airstrikes in Deir Billa, a village near Batroun on Lebanon’s northern coast, where families from southern Lebanon had taken refuge. Casualties were reported, though exact numbers remain unspecified.
Meanwhile, in Zahle, a predominantly Christian town in eastern Lebanon, the Tal Chiha hospital sustained light damage from nearby strikes. No injuries were reported among patients or staff, and the hospital continued to operate despite the surrounding bombardment.
Since September 23, Israel has ramped up its bombardment of Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah positions. However, many of the locations hit on Saturday were outside areas typically considered Hezbollah strongholds. Maaysra, Barja, and Deir Billa, which were all struck, are not known to house Hezbollah infrastructure.
Later in the day, Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike on the marketplace in Nabatiyeh, a key southern city, just 12 kilometers from the Israeli border. Israeli forces had previously instructed residents to evacuate the city, which houses public institutions, hospitals, and a branch of the Lebanese University. Strikes were also reported in the eastern Bekaa Valley.
The conflict, which has escalated into all-out war since September 23, has seen Israel heavily bombard southern and eastern Lebanon as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs, citing Hezbollah targets. The Health Ministry reported 26 deaths on Friday alone, bringing the total death toll from the past year of violence to 2,255, according to an AFP tally. More than half of these fatalities have occurred since the conflict’s recent escalation.
