An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Thursday resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including a child, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
A source close to Hezbollah confirmed that one of the deceased was a Hezbollah fighter. The airstrike marks the latest escalation in ongoing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, which have persisted for over 11 months.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the Israeli air raid targeted the village of Kfar Jouz, near the city of Nabatieh.
The attack resulted in the deaths of three people, including a child, and left three others injured.
A Hezbollah-affiliated source told AFP that among the deceased was a Hezbollah fighter, with the remaining victims being civilians.
The National News Agency reported that the airstrike hit two motorcycles on the Nabatieh-Kfar Jouz road, and a passing car was also damaged.
In response to the Kfar Jouz attack, Hezbollah announced via Telegram early Friday that it had launched “multiple Katyusha rocket barrages” at a northern command center.
Shortly thereafter, the Israeli military reported that approximately 20 projectiles had crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory near Safed, where the northern command center is located. Most of the projectiles were intercepted successfully, but some fell in open areas. There were no immediate reports of injuries, though teams were working to extinguish a fire caused by a projectile impact.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on October 7, Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in daily cross-border exchanges of fire. On Thursday, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on Israeli military sites in northern Israel, including strikes from “swarms of attack drones.”
The Israeli military noted that approximately 15 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with some intercepted and no injuries reported. The military also reported the interception of a “suspicious aerial target” and the downing of several explosive-laden drones in northern Israel.
Earlier this week, a young man and his brother were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a motorcycle in the town of Al-Bayyada in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah also mourned the loss of two of its fighters.
Since the escalation began, at least 622 people have been killed in Lebanon, most of whom were Hezbollah fighters, along with at least 142 civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official data and Hezbollah’s own announcements. In Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, authorities have reported the deaths of 24 soldiers and 26 civilians.
