Khaberni - The Israeli army carried out a series of widespread attacks over the past two days, resulting in dozens of casualties, with Lebanese authorities reporting about 29 people killed and dozens injured in 84 varied Israeli attacks including airstrikes, artillery shelling, and bombings of residential buildings.
The fiercest strikes were concentrated in the Nabatieh district, where 6 were killed in the town of Zebdine due to a drone targeting a civilian gathering near the town's cemetery, and 4 individuals from one family were killed in a raid on Jebchit, and 9 victims—including children and women—perished in scattered raids on Toul, Harouf, and Jebchit.
In the town of Kafr Rumman, the Lebanese army announced the death of one of its soldiers along with his family members due to a raid that targeted their home, while raids in the district of Tyre affected the towns of Hanine, Qana, Shahabiya, and Bustiyye, resulting in casualties and injuries. Meanwhile, a raid between the towns of Maaroub and Hamiri led to the death of the deputy mayor of Jnata, Ahmad Hussaini.
These attacks coincided with extensive bombings carried out by the Israeli army in the towns of Khiam, Bint Jbeil, and Bayyada, accompanied by intense air flights and sound barrier breaches over the Bekaa region.
The Israeli army continues its attacks in South Lebanon, where its spokesman on Thursday called for the evacuation of more than 20 villages.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the total toll of the Israeli aggression since March 2nd has reached 2,586 killed and 8,020 injured, with the ongoing displacement wave affecting over 1.6 million people.
Hezbollah Retaliates
For its part, Hezbollah announced the execution of 12 attacks "in response to Israeli violations," confirming the targeting of 4 "Merkava" tanks, a "Hummer" vehicle, and a self-propelled gun.
It also confirmed targeting 5 gatherings of soldiers in the locations of Blat, Shma, Meiss al-Jabal, Taybeh, and Al-Qantara, and the group announced the downing of an Israeli "Hermes 450" drone over Nabatieh.
In response, the Israeli army acknowledged the death of a soldier from the Golani Brigade in the town of Al-Qantara and the injury of 15 others in separate attacks, noting the detection of rockets and drones launched toward northern settlements, where sirens sounded in more than 10 locations.
Thus, the number of Israeli military casualties since March 2nd in the ongoing battles in South Lebanon has risen to 17.
"Self-Defense"
Politically, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the ongoing Israeli violations, the rising number of casualties, and the continued destruction of homes and places of worship despite an active ceasefire with Hezbollah. Aoun called on the international community to pressure Israel to respect international laws.
He added: "Pressure must be put on Israel to respect laws and international agreements and to stop targeting civilians, paramedics, civil defense, and health and relief humanitarian bodies," according to a statement from the presidency.
A dispute also erupted regarding the text of the ceasefire agreement published by the U.S. State Department, particularly the clause that grants Israel "the freedom to take necessary measures for self-defense."
While President Aoun attested that this text was the same as the one previously adopted in November 2024, with the approval of all parties, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri described Aoun's statement as "inaccurate."
Meanwhile, Hezbollah considered this clause "a dangerous precedent" and completely unacceptable, demanding a clear and explicit stance against it, stating that the text was not presented to the government, as Hezbollah rejects any direct negotiation by the Lebanese state with Israel.
In a related context, the United States, through its embassy in Beirut, urged a direct meeting between President Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to provide "concrete assurances" for Lebanon's sovereignty, noting that "the time for hesitation has ended."
