Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that hit hills near the village of Qatrani (Jezzine district), in South Lebanon, on Jan. 11, 2026. (Credit: Rabih Daher/AFP)
SOUTH LEBANON — Israel attacked a residential building in Kfar Hatta (Saida) on Sunday evening, within an hour of announcing on social media it would do so, despite its inspection by the Lebanese Army and U.N. peacekeepers (UNIFIL) who disproved Israel's claims that it was being used by Hezbollah. The attack came after it had launched over 25 strikes on the South, within just 30 minutes.
In the early evening, about an hour after Arabic-speaking Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee issued a warning, Israeli warplanes launched two attacks on the threatened site in Kfar Hatta, injuring one person hit by debris, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in south Lebanon.
The residential complex targeted was made up of at least a dozen buildings, housing over 600 people. Five missiles were fired, of which three did not explode. The explosions were heard as far as Saida.
This is the same complex that Israel had threatened last Monday, before it launched a missile that failed to explode.
As residents of the affected buildings and the surroundings evacuated their homes to seek safer places, Kfar Hatta’s main road was closed to traffic in both directions.
Shortly after the strike, the Israeli army claimed that "for the second time today" it had carried out "strikes against Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in several areas" of south Lebanon.
More than 20 Israeli strikes in the South
Earlier in the afternoon, the Israeli army launched at least 25 strikes on over seven localities in the South, within about 30 minutes, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent.
Initial strikes targeted Mahmoudieh (Jezzine district) and Wadi Borghoz (Hasbaya).
Shortly after this first series of attacks, fighter jets struck the Mahmoudieh hills twice, the Burj area on the outskirts of Jbaa in Iqlim al-Tuffah (Nabatieh), as well as Qatrani (Jezzine). Other strikes hit the heights of Jabbour (Jezzine).
Israeli warplanes also flew over Nabatieh, Tal al-Rihan and the Iqlim al-Tuffah area.
In the morning, an Israeli patrol opened fire near a Lebanese Army post in Dhaira (Sour).
Meanwhile, an Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb on Kfar Kila (Marjayoun). Early in the morning, a military drone carried out a similar operation toward an excavator clearing debris from a destroyed house in the Karkazan neighborhood, in Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun).
A resident of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil) found an Israeli drone crashed in a nearby field.
The Israeli army fired machine guns near Yaroun (Bint Jbeil) from the Hadab position near Aita al-Shaab.
Despite the cease-fire in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, the Israeli army continues to attack south Lebanon and the Bekaa daily, claiming to target Hezbollah and its alleged attempts to rebuild its military capability.
Israel’s attacks have increasingly targeted southern Lebanese areas north of the Litani River, where the next phase of Hezbollah disarmament is set to take place.
The army announced the first phase of its plan was completed last week, after Hezbollah cooperated with the disarmament between the Litani and the border, citing ongoing Israeli attacks and occupation as a chief complicating factor for its efforts.
The party, meanwhile, has refused to hand over more of its weapons while Israel’s attacks and occupation of Lebanese border positions continue.
