BEIRUT – A series of Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon early on Saturday have resulted in the death of one person and injuries to seven others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
The attacks struck the village of Al-Msayleh (also reported as Msayleh or Al-Msaylih), targeting a site housing heavy machinery, where more than 300 construction vehicles, including bulldozers and excavators, were destroyed. The strikes also damaged buildings and temporarily cut off a key road linking Beirut to the south.
Authorities said the person killed was a Syrian national. Among the wounded were one Syrian and six Lebanese citizens, including two women.
Media affiliated with Hezbollah reported that a passing vegetable truck was struck, causing casualties among its occupants.
In response, the Israeli military said it had targeted “infrastructure” used by Hezbollah to rebuild its capabilities, claiming the heavy machinery was earmarked to restore militant positions in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes, branding them a “blatant Israeli aggression” on civilian infrastructure, especially in the context of a fragile ceasefire.
“Once again, southern Lebanon has been the target of a heinous Israeli aggression … without justification or pretext,” Aoun stated.
Since the U.S.-brokered truce between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024, near-daily air and drone attacks have continued by Israel, despite the ceasefire. The U.N. human rights chief, Volker Türk, has verified at least 103 civilian deaths in Lebanon since the agreement.
The 14-month war preceding the truce claimed more than 4,000 lives in Lebanon and inflicted vast destruction; Israel suffered 127 deaths, including 80 soldiers.
This latest strike underscores the enduring volatility along the Israel–Lebanon frontier and raises further questions about the viability and enforcement of the current ceasefire agreement.
Sources: AP News, Al Jazeera, Anadolu Ajansi, AntiWar