A fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon killed at least 13 people on Sunday, with rescuers digging through the rubble of destroyed buildings in search of survivors. The attacks struck multiple towns in the Tyre and Nabatieh districts, two of the most densely populated areas of Lebanon's south. The latest deaths push the overall toll from Israeli military operations in Lebanon above 2,000 since the conflict escalated.
Emergency teams worked through the aftermath of the strikes, navigating collapsed structures in communities that have already endured months of bombardment. The Tyre district, home to one of Lebanon's oldest port cities, and the inland Nabatieh district, a regional hub near the Israeli border, have been among the areas most frequently targeted in the campaign.
Lebanon's prime minister condemned the strikes as a violation of international law, accusing Israel of continuing to strike civilian areas despite ongoing diplomatic pressure. The Lebanese government has faced criticism for being, in the words of some observers, politically present but operationally absent — able to speak out against the attacks but lacking the military or institutional capacity to prevent or respond to them on the ground.
Israel has maintained that its operations target Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed movement and political party that holds significant influence in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah and Israel fought a major war in 2006, and cross-border hostilities have repeatedly intensified in the years since, with the current escalation representing the deadliest episode in two decades.
The mounting civilian death toll is drawing renewed international attention to the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, a country already struggling with a prolonged economic crisis and institutional collapse. Aid organisations warn that repeated strikes on populated southern districts are compounding displacement and limiting access for relief workers. With the cumulative death toll now exceeding 2,000, pressure is growing on international mediators to secure a ceasefire, though no agreement appears imminent.