Smoke rising from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted the village of Meifadoun, in southern Lebanon, on May 21, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — Resistance and Liberation Day, marking the 26th anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from south Lebanon on May 25, 2000, carried a particularly bitter tone for many residents in the south of the country.
The Israeli army, which appears to be intensifying its deadly bombardments as the prospect of an agreement between Washington and Tehran draws closer, issued several new evacuation orders ahead of strikes in densely populated residential areas, particularly in Sour.
Amid the escalation, Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly said Israel should strike “buildings in Beirut” in response to Hezbollah drone attacks on Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, during a security cabinet meeting on Monday, according to remarks reported by several Israeli media outlets, including KAN radio and The Jerusalem Post.
“For every explosive drone, ten buildings must fall in Beirut,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, another far-right minister, called for a return to “intensive war” and for taking control of the Zahrani River, north of the Litani. In a coincidence or deliberate move, Israeli fighter jets broke the sound barrier over Beirut and other parts of the country at least twice in the late afternoon.
Sour, Jezzine and Nabatieh
After striking around ten villages and towns in the Nabatieh and Jezzine districts, Israeli fire targeted Sour and its suburbs in the afternoon.
Through its Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army first issued a general evacuation warning before issuing several more evacuation notices.
In the Rashidieh Palestinian camp, Israel targeted a well and a solar panel installation, according to our correspondent in the south. It also targeted the outskirts of Sour, including Burj al-Shemali, two buildings in the Maashouk neighborhood, two buildings in Abbassieh, and a building in Housh.
Earlier in the morning, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued evacuation notices to residents of eight villages in the Nabatieh district — Nabatieh Tahta, Ain Qana, Harouf, Zibdin, Kfar Roummane, Doueir, Adsheet al-Shaqif and Maydoun. Evacuation orders were also issued for Jezzine district, Louaizeh and Sojod.
The Israeli army appears determined to destroy as many structures as possible, even without evacuation orders. An Israeli strike at dawn on Arzoun, in the Sour district, destroyed six residential units, according to our correspondent, while significant damage was reported to nearby homes. In the Bint Jbeil district, Israeli aircraft bombed Burj Qalaway, while artillery targeted Safad al-Battikh, Jmaijmeh, Majdal Selm and Shaqra. Shelling also hit Debbine (Marjayoun), in the al-Areed neighborhood.
Killed while receiving condolences
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 3,185 and injured 9,633 since March 2.
Two sisters, Asriya and Sobhiya Mohammad Kanso, were among those killed in Doueir (Nabatieh) in a strike on a house as they were receiving condolences after their mother’s death earlier that day.
In the same village, a woman remains buried under the rubble of her home hit in a strike two days ago, due to the lack of authorization for rescue teams to operate. According to the National News Agency (NNA), a Lebanese Army patrol attempted to escort an excavator to the site, but upon arrival Israel “renewed threats against several southern villages, including Doueir,” suspending rescue operations.
Four other people were killed in two Israeli drone strikes targeting two vehicles — one on the road between Kfar Roummane and Jarmaq, and the other on the Khardali bridge road between Nabatieh and Marjayoun — according to our correspondent. Other strikes by the same means also targeted Harouf in the Nabatieh district, killing one person and seriously injuring another.
In the Sour district, one person was killed in a strike on Shehabieh. Three Lebanese Army soldiers and one civilian were injured in an airstrike on Qana (Sour). In Wadi Jezzine, in the same district, a drone targeted a motorcyclist at a crossroads, seriously injuring him.
UNIFIL said support for displaced families from south Lebanon, now living inside and outside its area of operations, “continues as they face urgent daily needs,” adding that it will continue to assist affected communities.
The Israeli army, which controls a strip of around 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory, has set the Litani River as the limit of the area it says must be cleared of Hezbollah fighters, who continue attacks against Israeli soldiers and military positions, including in Qouzah, Rshaf, Aita and Blat in southern Lebanon.
Air raid sirens sounded several times during the day in northern Israel following drone launches from Lebanon, according to Haaretz and Israeli army statements on X. Some drones reportedly crashed in Shomera and Metula.
Hezbollah urges authorities to 'seize the opportunity' of Iranian support