BEIRUT: Israeli air and ground operations intensified across southern and eastern Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least 31 people and wounding dozens, according to the Lebanese health ministry, as cross-border hostilities escalated despite an ongoing truce framework with Hezbollah.
The ministry said the dead included at least four children and three women, with around 40 others injured in strikes spread across multiple areas, including Burj al-Shamali near Tyre, Kawthariyat al-Riz, Habbush, Maarakeh and Salaa.
Heavy airstrikes were also reported near the southern city of Nabatieh following Israeli evacuation warnings for dozens of towns and villages. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said one strike hit near a public hospital, causing significant damage to its facilities.
The Israeli military said its forces had expanded ground operations beyond the so-called “Yellow Line” in southern Lebanon, pushing further into border areas.
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Hezbollah said its fighters confronted Israeli troops advancing toward Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, a town overlooking Nabatieh, following air and artillery bombardment. The group claimed it repelled the advance and carried out retaliatory drone and rocket attacks on Israeli positions.
In eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, authorities said an airstrike on the town of Mashghara killed 11 people, including two girls and a woman, and injured at least 15 others. Rescue teams continued clearing rubble amid ongoing operations.
In the south, a strike on Srifa killed a rescue worker and wounded two others, raising the number of emergency personnel killed in the conflict to 121, according to health officials.
Additional strikes were reported near the Qaraoun Dam in the Litani River basin, prompting warnings from the Litani River Authority over potential risks to civilian infrastructure and downstream communities.
The Israeli military said it carried out more than 100 strikes overnight, targeting what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon. It also claimed to have intercepted explosive drones launched toward northern Israel.
Hezbollah said it responded with drone attacks on Israeli military positions and engaged advancing troops in southern areas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said operations in Lebanon were being intensified, adding that forces were operating on the ground and securing strategically important positions near the border.
The United Nations said peacekeepers recorded a sharp rise in violations, including dozens of airspace incursions and cross-border fire incidents involving both sides.
Lebanese authorities say more than 3,100 people have been killed since the escalation began, as continued Israeli strikes and Hezbollah attacks fuel fears of a broader regional spillover despite ceasefire efforts.
