Destruction in Sohmor, April 13, 2026. (Credit: Photo provided by our correspondent Sarah Abdallah)
BEIRUT/SOUTH LEBANON/BEKAA — Monday was marked by an announcement from the Israeli army, saying it had entirely surrounded Bint Jbeil.
It also said it had destroyed a Hezbollah tunnel, while continuing multiple raids, artillery fire and drone strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, causing several deaths and injuries and significant damage, notably to the Shamoun es-Safa shrine in Shamaa.
At the same time, Hezbollah claimed a series of attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
The Israeli army claims to have surrounded Bint Jbeil
Israel said on Monday that it had completed the “encirclement” of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon and claimed it had killed “more than 100 Hezbollah terrorists” during its offensive. An Israeli military official told Reuters that “full operational control of Bint Jbeil will be achieved in a few days.”
This marks a significant advance in Israel’s ongoing ground offensive in southern Lebanon since the start of the war.
For its part, Hezbollah reported fierce clashes with Israeli forces in Bint Jbeil over recent days. The town, located about five kilometers from the border, holds symbolic importance after Hezbollah repelled Israeli troops there during the 2006 war.
Israel also claimed to have destroyed the Bint Jbeil stadium, where former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah — killed in September 2024 — gave a victory speech on May 25, 2000, marking the end of Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon. At the time, he mocked the Israeli army, describing it as “weaker than a spider’s web.”
Significant damage to the Shamoun es-Safa shrine
Israeli raids targeted multiple locations in southern Lebanon, according to our correspondent, including Majdel Zoun, Mansouri, Qlayleh, Abbassieh, Hannieh, and areas in Deir Qanoun Ras al-Ain, Semmayyeh and Jwaya (Sour district).
Other strikes hit Bint Jbeil, Shaqra, Kounine, Tebnine, Braasheet and Safad al-Batikh (Bint Jbeil district), as well as areas around Ain al-Mezrab, Kfar Roummane and Kfar Sir (Nabatieh district). Ghassanieh (Saida district) was also targeted.
An Israeli airstrike caused significant damage to the Shamoun es-Safa shrine in Shamaa. The Shiite monument is traditionally associated with the tomb of the prophet Shamoun es-Safa.
Israeli artillery also shelled Bint Jbeil and Siddiqine (Sour district), as well as the outskirts of Yohmor al-Chaqif and Arnoun (Nabatieh district).
At least 8 killed and 7 injured in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa
An Israeli drone struck a motorcycle on the Rashidieh road (Sour district), killing one person and injuring another. Another strike on Abbassieh killed two people and wounded two more.
A further attack hit a motorcycle at the entrance of a Lebanese Red Cross center in Sour, killing the driver. Another drone strike in Sir el-Gharbieh killed two people.
Additional strikes targeted a car in Shehabieh, as well as areas around Wadi Jilo (Sour district) and Kfar Dounine (Bint Jbeil district), injuring one person in each case.
Other locations hit included Tiri and Tebnine (Bint Jbeil district), a Rapid-type vehicle in Jwaya (Sour district), Shehabieh again, the Taawounieh neighborhood in Shouqine, and Nabatieh al-Fawqa (Nabatieh district).
A strike on Sohmor in West Bekaa killed two people and wounded one, according to our correspondent Sarah Abdallah, followed by two additional Israeli air raids.
Hezbollah claims
Hezbollah said it carried out several operations against Israeli positions in southern Lebanon, including artillery and rocket fire targeting soldiers and vehicles in Blat, Naqoura, Ras al-Naqoura, Bint Jbeil, Biyyada, and the al-Aqba area in the Christian village of Ain Ebel. It also claimed a drone attack on Tallet al-Oueida in Adaisseh (Marjayoun).
Hezbollah also reported a series of attacks on northern Israel, including drone and rocket fire on Metula, Shlomi, Kiryat Shmona, Avivim, Doviv and Hanita. It said it targeted Israeli military bases and positions in Karmiel, Kfar Giladi, Beit Hillel, Yiftah, Margaliot, and as far as the Shraga base near Acre, as well as troop gatherings and command centers across northern Israel.
Over 250 Hezbollah fighters killed Wednesday, according to Israel
The Israeli army said, via spokesperson Avichay Adraee, that Yahalom combat engineering units and the 7th Brigade destroyed an underground Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon. It said joint operations targeted an underground passage used by Hezbollah fighters, which was destroyed after clearing operations inside.
The army also said on Monday that it had killed more than 250 Hezbollah fighters and commanders, including dozens in Beirut, during strikes last Wednesday across multiple regions of Lebanon, including the capital.
It named several figures allegedly killed, including Hassan Mustafa Nasser, described as head of Hezbollah’s logistical staff; Ali Kassem, Abou Ali Abbas and Ali Hijazi, described as intelligence commanders; and Abou Mohammad Habib, deputy commander of the rocket unit.
Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed at least 350 people. They followed a ceasefire concluded between Iran and Israel, mediated by Pakistan, and were widely condemned internationally.
The health ministry said on Monday that Israeli strikes between March 2 and April 13 killed 2,089 people and injured 6,762 others.
Reporting contributed by our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah in southern Lebanon.
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