Nine people have been killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, authorities say, in one of the deadliest days of attacks since a ceasefire framework was announced in June.
Lebanon's prime minister said seven people were killed in a strike on a house on the outskirts of Ansar in the Nabatieh district, a strike that state media reported included three children and two women.
Later on Saturday, another round of strikes hit the town of Deir al-Zahrani, killing two and injuring nine others, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Israel's military said it had struck "Hezbollah terror infrastructure" in response to an earlier attack on its soldiers.
The strike in Ansar at about 04:30 (01:30 GMT) occurred where displaced families were living. Footage on social media shows large plumes of smoke permeating through the streets of the village as sirens ring out.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks, saying the seven civilians killed were not "military infrastructure." He called for Israel to halt the escalation, arguing that the right to life on Lebanese land cannot be negotiated.
The Israel Defense Forces said the incident that had prompted its strike on Ansar took place in the Ali al‑Taher Ridge, a strategic high ground overlooking much of south‑eastern Lebanon.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency also reported a series of strikes around the ridge, noting that several homes were reportedly destroyed in Bint Jbeil and that Israeli forces opened heavy machine‑gun fire towards houses.
The war between Israel, the US and Iran began on 2 March when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded by bombing Lebanon and occupying roughly 5% of Lebanese territory.
The June ceasefire framework calls for Hezbollah to disarm, Israeli forces to withdraw gradually and the Lebanese army to deploy across the area. However, Israeli strikes continue, prompting criticism from Lebanese leaders.
Lebanese and Israeli negotiators are set to meet for an eighth round of negotiations in September, but a final date has not yet been set.
