BEIRUT, 16 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): At least 11 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities, in one of the deadliest days of attacks since an agreement aimed at reducing hostilities was announced in June.Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said seven people were killed in an Israeli strike on a house on the outskirts of Ansar, around 70 kilometres south of Beirut. Lebanese state media reported that three children and two women were among those killed.The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said the strike killed a commander of Hezbollah, describing the operation as a response to an attack against Israeli soldiers. The IDF also said members of the commander’s family, whom it accused him of using as human shields, were present and were harmed in the strike.
Later on Saturday, another series of Israeli strikes hit the town of Deir al-Zahrani, killing four people and injuring five others, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.Lebanese authorities said the strike in Ansar took place at around 4:30 a.m. local time, targeting an area where displaced families were staying. Footage circulating on social media showed large plumes of smoke rising through the streets of the village as sirens sounded.Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks an d said the seven civilians killed in Ansar were not military infrastructure.“Israel must halt this escalation,” Salam said, stressing that the security of Lebanon’s people and their right to live on their land should not be subject to negotiation or bargaining.The latest strikes have further heightened concerns over the fragile security situation in southern Lebanon and the risk of renewed escalation in the region.