Israeli airstrikes kill 2 in Bekaa, 2 more in southern Lebanon

BEIRUT — The Israeli military carried out a series of intense airstrikes across Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley on Thursday, killing two people and damaging schools, homes, businesses, and a mosque according to the Health Ministry and local reports. Evening Israeli airstrikes killed two more people, including an 80-year-old woman, in Arab Salim (Nabatieh district).

The Israeli army said the strikes targeted Hezbollah targets.

Early Thursday afternoon, Israeli aircraft struck the Anti-Lebanon mountain range, first hitting the heights of Janta in eastern Bekaa before extending to the Shmustar highlands in the west, triggering powerful explosions heard across the region. Another strike targeted Ali al-Tawil in the Hermel mountains.

Soon after these strikes, the Israeli army reported "an air strike against a camp and a precision missile production site belonging to Hezbollah" in the Bekaa and in the north of the country.

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An Israeli army statement said the attacks hit "a Hezbollah camp and a precision missile production site" in the Bekaa and northern Lebanon. Israeli Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the strikes targeted “Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa, including a training camp where fighters were spotted,” as well as “military infrastructure within a Hezbollah precision missile production site” and “terrorist installations located in a military site of the party in Sherbine,” on the Hermel heights.

The Health Ministry confirmed two fatalities in the Baalbeck-Hermel district: one in Janta and one in Shmustar. In Shmustar, the strikes damaged a mosque, homes and businesses.

Strikes in southern Lebanon

Later in the evening, an Israeli strike hit a greenhouse near a construction site in Arab Salim, in the Nabatieh district, killing two people and injuring three others, according to our regional correspondent.

The victims included Zainab Moussa, 80, who had lost two grandchildren in the recent war with Israel, and Maher Younis, 43, a local butcher, who was killed while passing by the targeted site.

Residents said the strike also damaged three cars and several homes, in addition to destroying the empty room. Notably, the strike hit an area close to a school in the village, marking the first attack on Arab Salim since the November 2024 cease-fire came into effect.

The Israeli army claimed it struck a "Hezbollah weapons storage facility." According to the statement, the site was used to "advance and carry out attacks against the State of Israel."

"Hezbollah ... continues to attempt to rebuild terror infrastructure sites across Lebanon," adding that "the presence of the terror infrastructure site constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

Education minister condemns Israeli bombings near schools

The airstrikes also affected local schools, breaking windows, damaging facades and sparking panic among students and parents, our correspondent reported. Some students reportedly lost consciousness, while others suffered minor injuries from the shattering glass shards.

Education Minister Rima Karameh condemned the Israeli strikes near public high schools in Shmustar and Taraya. She called on the international community to pressure Israel to end its relentless attacks, which are affecting schools and civilians, causing deaths and injuries and terrorizing the population.

Karameh contacted local education officials, including Baalbeck-Hermel education sector chief Hussein Abdel Sater and director of secondary education Khaled Fayed, to confirm the safety of students, teachers and staff. She praised school communities for their resilience, assuring them that nothing would deter the pursuit of education and progress.

Fragile calm in South Lebanon

Thursday saw a fragile calm in southern Lebanon, with no major incidents reported since Wednesday morning, when an Israeli strike killed a Hezbollah member on a scooter.

Between Wednesday night and Thursday, Israeli forces conducted a sweep operation with machine guns near the disputed heights of Kfar Shuba in the Hasbaya district, our correspondent reported. An Israeli drone also dropped a stun grenade in the area.

Over the past week, including today, Israeli drones have been flying at visible, low altitude across all regions of Lebanon, including Beirut and the surrounding areas.

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Turkey to bolster Lebanese Army

In a related development, Turkey said Thursday that its peacekeeping forces would continue “to contribute to strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese Army” under a renewed U.N. Interim Forces in Lebanon mandate. The statement from Turkey’s Defense Ministry said the effort aims to “improve security conditions in the region, ensure stability and support the Lebanese Army, with the aim of preserving peace in Lebanon.”

The Turkish Parliament recently extended military deployment mandates in Syria and Iraq by three years and its participation in UNIFIL by two years.

Turkish personnel have been part of the U.N. force since 2006. According to the United Nations, UNIFIL had an international staff of 13,000 in July 2025, including 9,800 troops, mainly from Indonesia, Italy, and India.