A car in flames after an Israeli drone strike in Abbassiyeh, Southern Lebanon, on June 20, 2025 (Credit: Mountasser Abdallah.)
A series of successive Israeli strikes targeted southern Lebanon early Friday afternoon, as Israel continued to push into Lebanese territory and eliminate Hezbollah commanders, whom it accused of rebuilding the party's military capabilities.
According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, Israeli jets carried out a series of strikes on the hills of Jabal al-Rihan (Jezzine), the outskirts of Jabal Blat (Marjayoun), the villages of Toumat Niha, Jbour and Qatrani (Jezzine), an area between Aishieh and Mahmoudieh, east of the Litani River and the outskirts of Wadi Borghoz (Hasbaya) and Jormok (Jezzine).
Hezbollah commander targeted
In the morning, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a car near Abbasieh, setting it ablaze. An ambulance rushed to the scene and transported a seriously injured man, who eventually succumbed to his injuries. The victim was identified as Mohammad Khoder Husseini, from the village of Jennata.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, the Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, claimed that troops had eliminated "the commander of Hezbollah's firing system in the Litani sector."
"The Israeli army attacked the Shebriha region in southern Lebanon and eliminated Mohammad Khoder Husseini, the commander of the Hezbollah terrorist group's firing system in the Litani sector," he said. "During the war, this terrorist fired numerous rockets at Nahariya, Haifa, and other cities in Israel."
He also said that the victim had "recently attempted to rebuild Hezbollah's artillery forces."
In the afternoon, an empty car parked on the side of the road in Hebbarieh (Hasbaya) was struck by a drone, in a strike that caused no casualties. Israeli jets also carried out mock raids over border villages.
Also in the afternoon, a resident of southern Lebanon filmed a video showing a drone being destroyed by an interceptor missile in the skies above Ainata (Bint Jbeil). Residents of border villages clearly heard the sound of continuous explosions coming from Israel. Adraee claimed that the Israeli army attacked "Hezbollah military positions and rocket launchers in southern Lebanon."
The Israeli army "struck Hezbollah military sites containing rocket and missile launchers, and weapons storage facilities in the area of southern Lebanon," he said, accusing the party of "reestablish its activity in these sites."
On Friday evening, an Israeli drone carried out two strikes on a motorcycle in Baraasheet (Bint Jbeil). The motorcyclist was killed in the attack.
Incursions into the south
Israeli soldiers infiltrated Lebanese territory near Mais al-Jabal and Houla (Marjayoun), penetrating more than two kilometers deep into southern Lebanon, and blew up houses, according to residents cited by our correspondent in the South. On Friday morning, a person was killed in an Israeli drone strike on Abbassieh (Sour).
According to residents of Mais al-Jabal, an Israeli infantry unit infiltrated the Karkazan area after midnight and destroyed the house of writer Maryam Shoukair Abu Jaoudeh, electrical posts, and seized a bulldozer-type vehicle that was stationed in the village and belonged to one of the residents. The construction vehicle was taken to Israeli territory.
Israeli soldiers also infiltrated Houla, over two kilometers from the Blue Line into Lebanese territory, and blew up a house there. Shortly after, an Israeli drone struck the vilage.
In a statement, residents of Mais al-Jabal denounced “a series of new attacks carried out by the Israeli enemy.” They called on the Lebanese state to “intervene immediately and put an end to the Israeli aggression.”
“Where is the Lebanese sovereignty the state keeps claiming?” they asked. “Why doesn't the state come to the border area to extend its control as it always demands and grant citizens their rights?” Despite the attacks, they affirmed their determination to remain in the South “to clear the rubble of our homes and rebuild our town.”
Several residents of Meis al-Jabal also claimed to have received Israeli warning messages for residents of northern Israeli towns, urging them to take immediate refuge in shelters in the event of an Iranian attack.
Also in the afternoon, a resident of southern Lebanon filmed a video showing an Iranian Shahed drone being destroyed by an interceptor missile in the sky over Ainata (Bint Jbeil). Residents of border villages could clearly hear the sound of continuous explosions from Israel.
Since the 2023-2024 war with Hezbollah, and despite the cease-fire agreement that came into effect on Nov.27, 2024, Israeli violations in Lebanese territory are daily, and the Israeli army still occupies five positions in southern Lebanon.
