Rescue teams inspect the destruction caused by an Israeli strike on the village of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, in southern Lebanon, on May 17, 2026. (Credit: Kawnat Haju/AFP)
Israel continued its attacks on Lebanon, where the occupying army forced residents of several villages in the South and the Bekaa to flee ahead of new strikes. On Friday, Lebanon and Israel had decided to extend a truce (in place only nominally) for a further 45 days.
Israel issued its first forced evacuation order for residents of four villages in the Saida district — Bablieh, Baissarieh, Marwanieh, and Arzi — at 2 p.m. These locations had already been named Saturday in a similar order that included nine villages in total. The first strikes began in the hours that followed. Israel targeted several towns, striking near a public school in Marwanieh, our correspondent in southern Lebanon reports. Earlier in the day in the same district, an Israeli strike on Zrarieh wounded one person. Another drone struck the same spot in Baissarieh twice before the Israeli air force conducted a third strike there, with explosions heard as far as Saida, where residents reported hearing the continuous sound of war planes flying overhead.
Forced to flee from Kfar Houneh to Jezzine
In the early evening, a new forced displacement order was issued for five other villages in the South and the Bekaa: Sohmor (West Bekaa), Roumin, Qosseibeh (Nabatieh), Kfar Houneh (Jezzine), and Bnaafoul (Saida).
The head of the municipality of Kfar Houneh, James Hindi, told our correspondent that this was the first time the village had been subject to an evacuation order, but that a strike had hit the surrounding area during the previous war. He added that the village, whose population constitutes a mix of Christians and Shias, is hosting 77 displaced families staying with relatives and friends.
The alert was raised by some residents who fired shots into the air, as well as by announcements broadcast from the village church and mosques.
He said that some residents had fired shots into the air in front of their homes to alert the population to the need to leave, whilst the village church broadcast announcements urging residents to evacuate. Displaced people and residents left the village following the evacuation order.
The head of the municipality of Bnaafoul, Toufic al-Rez, stated that he had personally warned the residents, assisted by a team of municipal staff, as the village had been bombed on several occasions, most recently about a fortnight ago.
Vans were mobilized to transport residents who did not have cars. He explained that the village has a population of around 6,000, in addition to some 900 displaced people being housed in the state school and in private homes.
Several Israeli soldiers were also wounded by an explosive device as they attempted to advance on the north bank of the Litani, according to our correspondent, citing information from local residents. The troops in question had been attempting an infiltration toward the Safita castle, located near the village of Yohmor al-Shaqif in the district of Nabatieh. Hezbollah, which rejects the cease-fire agreed to by Lebanese authorities, claimed responsibility for this attack late in the afternoon.
For its part, the Israeli army said four of its soldiers were wounded "last night as a result of an explosive device explosion in South Lebanon," stating that one was "seriously wounded" and the other three were "slightly wounded." Last week, another Israeli infiltration targeted the neighboring village of Zawtar Sharqieh, as Israel attempts to extend its 500-square-kilometer Gaza-style "buffer zone" established since the start of the war.
Israel kills at least 7 people in Tayr Felsay
After shelling at least 30 localities the previous day, Israel continued to pummel southern Lebanon with airstrikes and, to a lesser extent, the Western Bekaa, where its air force carried out five strikes Sunday morning, four near the villages of Sohmor and Yohmor, close to a poultry farm, according to our regional correspondent.
In the Sour district, an Israeli strike on Tayr Felsay Sunday afternoon killed at least five people and wounded four others, including women and children. An Israeli drone attack also hit a moped in the village of Jibsheet (Nabatieh). Fighter jets also bombed the same area, as well as the villages of Tayr Debba and Zibqine (Sour). One of the strikes on Tayr Debba injured two first responders. Israel also killed at least two people in Debaal (Sour) and wounded three in another strike on an area between the villages of Maaroub and Barish (Sour). An Israeli drone also carried out a strike near a Lebanese Army barracks in the village of Kafra (Bint Jbeil).
Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed 2,988 people and wounded 9,210 since March 2, according to the latest Health Ministry figures, up by 19 and 98, respectively, in 24 hours. Hadatha, Ghandourieh, Froun, Tibnin, and Kafra (Bint Jbeil), Jibsheet and Yohmor al-Shaqif (Nabatieh), Debbine (Marjayoun) and Siddiqine (Sour) are among the many localities bombed from Saturday night into Sunday.
The person killed Saturday afternoon in a strike that hit an area between Tayr Debba and Abbasieh (Sour) was identified as Rayan Ftouni, from the Abbasieh municipality, according to our correspondent. The three rescuers killed in another strike on a Civil Defense center of the Islamic Health Committee on Saturday night were identified as Ali Moustapha al-Faour, Hadi Ali Kamal, and Moussa Mohammad Mokdad.
Israeli forces attempt to remove Lebanese Army checkpoint in al-Mari
Hezbollah, which had claimed 19 attacks the previous day, began reporting new operations in the middle of the day, targeting Israeli soldiers at Khallet al-Raj in the village of Deir Siryan (Marjayoun) and an Israeli bulldozer in the village of Bayyada (Sour), according to initial statements.
According to witnesses cited by our correspondent in southern Lebanon, an Israeli unit moved from the occupied village of Ain Arab (Marjayoun) to a Lebanese Army position in the neighboring locality of al-Mari (Hasbaya) in order to dismantle it. Following tensions between the two sides, a Lebanese Army unit was sent to reinforce and secure the checkpoint in this area. An Israeli military official said Sunday that Hezbollah fired about 200 projectiles at Israeli troops invading southern Lebanon. The Israeli army also announced the death of a 21st soldier, a member of the Golani Brigade, killed Friday by Hezbollah.
Finally, on Saturday night into Sunday, a resident of the Hijazi building, located near Jabal Amel Hospital in Sour, received a call asking to evacuate the building, which was ultimately not bombed.
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