Destroyed buildings in the south of Khiam, South Lebanon, on Dec. 7, 2024. (Credit: AFP)
Five people were killed Wednesday in Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon, according to information gathered by our correspondent. A sixth person, injured the previous day, succumbed to their wounds in Khiam, where the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) deployed for the first time since the cease-fire.
The Lebanese Army also positioned troops around the town, which had been a focal point of intense clashes between Hezbollah and Israel during the two-month war. In a statement, the army said its forces would first work to locate and clear unexploded ordnance.
Three strikes
According to our correspondent, the five victims of the day were killed in three separate strikes in Ainata, Beit Lif, and Bint Jbeil.
The latest strike, accompanied by bursts of gunfire, occurred in the late afternoon, killing three people in the al-Ouwayneh neighborhood of Bint Jbeil. Earlier in the morning, another strike killed a man near Ainata on the road connecting the town to Bint Jbeil. The Ministry of Health later confirmed the casualties.
Deployment in Khiam
On Wednesday, Khiam residents reported that a local man, identified as Khachich, had gone missing. Witnesses said he was last seen near his home at the northern entrance of the town on Tuesday evening. According to residents, citing his wife, Khachich had reportedly received a call from individuals claiming to be from Lebanese Army intelligence, requesting to meet him outside his house.
The strikes came as Israeli forces conducted numerous attacks in southern Lebanon following the Nov. 27 cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel. These attacks have claimed at least 26 lives, according to reports, while the 14-month conflict has resulted in more than 4,000 deaths.
UNIFIL entered Khiam for the first time since the cease-fire, as explosions echoed across the town Wednesday morning due to ongoing Israeli military operations demolishing homes. Lebanese Army units were scheduled to deploy to additional neighborhoods after confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces. In a statement released in the evening, the Lebanese Army announced that it had established positions at five locations around Khiam, in coordination with UNIFIL, as part of the "first phase of deployment" in the area, aligned with the Israeli withdrawal.
The army clarified that the deployment was authorized following "contacts established by the oversight committee" and that a subsequent phase would occur after "specialized units" inspected the town for unexploded ordnance. The army urged residents to avoid the area and comply with military instructions until the deployment was complete.
Drone and ground activity
Another drone strike targeted a car in the Wadi al-Ouyoun area of Beit Lif, in the Bint Jbeil district. One person, identified as Hamza Beddah, a native of the village, was injured, according to our correspondent.
Meanwhile, in Kfar Kila, southwest of Khiam, Israeli soldiers raided the home of a local resident, Jamil Jouki. The raid, accompanied by vehicles, involved interrogating his family of four, confiscating their phones, and ordering them to vacate the house indefinitely, according to Burj al-Moulouk Mayor Elie Soulaymane.
Israeli aircraft continued surveillance over southern Lebanon on Wednesday, focusing on regions such as Zahrani, Arnoun, and Zawtar.
Tensions despite cease-fire
Although the Nov. 27 cease-fire ended over a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of heavy bombardments, accusations of violations persist. The Israeli army still occupies a border strip, restricting local residents' access. In a message on X, Israeli Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee reiterated that villages within the border zone, including Shebaa, Hebbarieh, Marjayoun, and others, remain off-limits to Lebanese citizens "until further notice."
Border complications elsewhere
The ongoing Syrian refugee crisis is further straining Lebanon's borders. In northern Lebanon, the Lebanese Army increased its presence near the Arida border crossing with Syria. Some Syrian border posts had reportedly been abandoned after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, according to local sources.
In the Bekaa Valley, Baalbek-Hermel Governor Bachir Khodr revealed during a press briefing that many displaced individuals, both Syrian and Lebanese, had entered the region through unauthorized crossings. Khodr commended the Lebanese Army for its efforts to secure the borders despite limited resources and called for increased support for the military. He also noted the return of 1,500 Syrian refugees from the town of Arsal, where their tents were permanently dismantled to prevent their return.
