Israeli strikes southern Lebanon kill 1 civilian, 2 soldiers

Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire struck multiple towns in southern Lebanon from Wednesday into Thursday, marking a significant escalation in hostilities that left at least one civilian dead and several wounded. The bombardment, described as the heaviest since a ceasefire took effect in early June, coincided with U.S.-mediated talks in Rome aimed at ending the conflict and occurred after Israel announced its first military fatalities in Lebanon in over a month.

Lebanese state media reported that Israeli attacks targeted the Tyre district, with strikes hitting the towns of Burj al-Shamali and Mansouri. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed that one man was killed and at least 11 others were injured when an Israeli projectile struck a prayer hall in a cemetery in Tibnin on Wednesday. The Israeli military stated the strikes were a response to what it called a blatant violation of the ceasefire by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, though it did not provide specific details of the violation.

Concurrently, the Israeli military announced that two reservists were killed and seven others wounded in an explosion inside a building in the Lebanese town of Majdal Zoun on Wednesday. These...