A series of Israeli military operations across southern Lebanon on Wednesday marked a significant escalation in the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. The Israeli Army confirmed strikes on several towns, including Al-Kharaib, Kawthariyyah, Yatar, Shebaa, and Taybeh, stating that the operations were directed at what it described as Hezbollah facilities.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reported that the attacks resulted in at least five fatalities. Among the dead was a Syrian labourer, who was killed in an evening airstrike on a hangar situated on the Deir Takla farm, between the towns of Ansariya and Adloun.

In a related development, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) condemned an incident involving Israeli drones on Tuesday morning. According to a statement released on Wednesday, four grenades were dropped in close proximity to UN personnel engaged in the clearance of roadblocks obstructing access to a UN position. The force described the event as “one of the most serious attacks on UNIFIL personnel and assets since the cessation of hostilities agreement of last November.”

The resumption of targeted strikes and the endangerment of international peacekeepers underscore the fragility of the border region, where a tenuous calm has increasingly given way to renewed military activity.