Israeli strikes hit the city of Sour, casualties reported
Israeli warplanes carried out two strikes on the city of Sour. The first targeted the Imam Hussein complex, which was completely destroyed.
The second strike, which hit a building in the Hlalieh neighborhood, resulted in casualties, according to our correspondent.
Several people also remain missing following the earlier strike near the Buss camp.
Separately, drones targeted Srifa and Mansouri in the Sour district, as well as Ghandourieh in the Bint Jbeil district.
At least 2 killed in first deadly strike near Sour
An Israeli strike that hit a still-inhabited residential building in the town of Buss, near Sour, has killed at least two people, according to a preliminary toll reported by our correspondent.
Emergency services deployed to the scene had earlier reported 15 injuries, including women and children.
Israeli army declares entire area south of the Zahrani River a 'combat zone'
The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson has called on residents of all villages in South Lebanon located south of the Zahrani River to evacuate northward, stating that all areas south of the river are now considered “combat zones.”
The Zahrani River flows roughly 40 kilometers from the Lebanese-Israeli border, north of the city of Nabatieh.
“We call on the residents of south Lebanon to evacuate north of the Zahrani River and to stay away from Hezbollah infrastructure,” he said in a video posted on X, adding that the Israeli army is preparing to act “with great force” against Hezbollah.
The statement comes hours after similar evacuation orders were issued for the entire city of Nabatieh and Sour, as well as surrounding areas.
Hezbollah claims 3 new attacks, including 12th strike on Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh
Hezbollah said it carried out three new attacks, including a twelfth strike on Wednesday against the Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh district), where it claimed to have hit a D9 bulldozer using a suicide drone at 14:20.
Hezbollah also said it targeted a group of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in Dibil (Bint Jbeil district) at 17:40, and a tent used by Israeli soldiers in Naqoura (Sour district) at 17:50, both with explosive drones.
At least 1 killed in Nabatieh region as Israeli air force continues to strike
Israeli air force continued heavy bombardment of Nabatieh city and its outskirts, carrying out several raids on Kfar Sir, Adsheet, Nabatieh Fawqa, as well as the Kassar Zaatar district in the city center.
A well-known café, “Mansour,” in Nabatieh was completely destroyed in a strike that also caused significant damage to the surrounding commercial area, including the Sabah and Masa shops (formerly al-Andalus), according to our correspondent.
Earlier, a strike on the village of Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr (Nabatieh district), near the Litani River, killed one person identified as Hussein Salame.
Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 10 today.
Israel continues strikes on Sour as residents continue to evacuate
Israeli air force carried out additional strikes on the city of Sour as residents continued to flee, three hours after a forced evacuation order was issued.
Four strikes hit Ras al-Ain, al-Bass, Abbasieh, as well as a tourist chalet named “Turquoise” on the Naqoura road, on the southern outskirts of the city.
Several injuries were reported in Buss after a strike hit a residential building near a refugee camp.
In the past few hours, several residents of the Sour area — including a journalist — reportedly received calls and messages from the Israeli army instructing them to evacuate the city, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Trump says US 'not yet satisfied' with Iran deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday during a Cabinet meeting at the White House that Iran is “very intent” on reaching a deal, but that the United States is “not yet satisfied” with the current terms.
"Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven't gotten there ... we're not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be either that or we'll have to just finish the job," Trump told reporters at a cabinet meeting at the White House.
White House says negotiations with Iran proceeding nicely
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales on Wednesday said that negotiations with Iran were proceeding nicely, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump has made his red lines clear, Reuters reported.
Hezbollah claims 5 new attacks on Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh
Hezbollah said it carried out five new attacks against the Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh, bringing the total to eleven since dawn in the village north of the Litani River, where Israeli forces began advancing toward on Tuesday.
The group said it targeted Israeli soldiers inside the village with rockets at 00:10 and 14:00, and with a exploding drone at 16:15. It also claimed attacks on a Merkava tank at 15:15 and a Namer armored vehicle at 15:45 using explosive drones.
Separately, Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli soldiers in Odaisseh (Marjayoun district) at 00:15.
Israeli air force begins strikes on Sour after evacuation order
Two hours after issuing an evacuation order for the city of Sour and its suburbs, the Israeli air force has carried out a strike on the Masaken al-Shaabieh industrial zone, according to our correspondent.
Civil Defense rescuers from the al-Rissala Scouts, affiliated with the Amal Movement, have been deployed to help residents evacuate the area, as tens of thousands of people remain in the region. Ambulances are currently driving through the city, urging residents to leave immediately.
Separately, two Israeli air strikes targeted the village of Yater (Bint Jbeil), while a motorcycle was hit by a drone on the road between Srifa and Burj Qalaway (Bint Jbeil).
White House calls Iranian media claims on memorandum 'a complete fabrication'
The White House said Wednesday that reports by Iranian state media suggesting an initial framework for a non-binding memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States are “false” and that the alleged document is “a complete fabrication,” Reuters reported.
Earlier, the Iranian news agency Mizan had claimed that the draft agreement under discussion between Tehran and Washington included a U.S. “commitment” to withdraw its forces from Iran’s vicinity. “The United States has committed to withdrawing its military forces from the area surrounding Iran; it remains to be negotiated whether this includes forces deployed in the region or those stationed at bases,” it said.
Israeli army continues strikes in Nabatieh district
The Israeli air force intensified its strikes over the past two hours in the Nabatieh district, targeting Houmin Fawqa, Jarjou and the Ali Taher hill, which were struck three times during the day.
A car was also hit by a drone on the road between Kfar Roummane and Jarmak. According to our correspondent, the aircraft struck the vehicle a second time when rescuers attempted to approach the site.
Another drone strike targeted Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr, near the Litani River.
Artillery fire also hit Kfar Roummane and Yohmor al-Shaqif (Nabatieh), while sounds of clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Zawtar continue to be heard as far as the city of Nabatieh.
Iranian agency says US-Iran draft deal would include withdrawal of US forces near Iran
The Iranian news agency Mizan said the draft agreement under discussion between Tehran and Washington includes a U.S. “commitment” to withdraw its forces from Iran’s vicinity.
“The United States has committed to withdrawing its military forces from the area surrounding Iran; it remains to be negotiated whether this includes forces deployed in the region or those stationed at bases,” it said.
It added that “if a final agreement is reached within 60 days, it will be approved in the form of a binding United Nations Security Council resolution.”
Hezbollah claims new attack on Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh
Hezbollah said it carried out a new attack against the Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh, claiming it targeted and hit two Merkava tanks located in the eastern part of the village.
The Israeli army launched an offensive toward the village in the Nabatieh district on Tuesday and advanced into it on Wednesday, according to statements issued by Hezbollah.
Israeli air force carries out strikes in the Bekaa
Israeli warplanes carried out strikes in the Bekaa, targeting the heights of Sherbin and Brisa in the Hermel region, as well as Nabi Sreij near the village of Brital (Baalbeck district), according to our correspondent in the region.
Israeli army orders evacuation of city of Sour, nearby Palestinian camps and surrounding villages
Map published by the Israeli army ordering residents of Sour and surrounding areas to evacuate
The Israeli army has ordered the evacuation of the city of Sour, as well as nearby Palestinian camps, villages and neighborhoods.
The evacuation order also covers Shabriha, Hamadieh, the Jall al-Bahr neighborhood, Zokak al-Mafdi, Buss, Maashouk, Burj al-Shemali, Nabaa, Hosh, Rashidieh and Ain Baal.
“For your safety, you must immediately evacuate your homes in the area shown on the map and move north of the Zahrani River,” Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X.
The northern half of the city of Sour, along the seafront and including the Christian quarter, does not appear to be part of the evacuation area shown on the map published by the Israeli army.
The army nevertheless called for the evacuation of the city without providing further clarification.
Strike on Shoukin: 3 members of the same family killed in strike on building
The strike on Shoukin (Nabatieh district) which hit and destroyed a building located within a residential complex of ten buildings, killed at least three members of the Hashem family — the father, mother and their son — according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
The targeted building was home to a family of six, according to initial information.
Ambulances and rescue teams were forced to wait several hours before reaching the site due to the security situation in the area, which was under Israeli air strikes and artillery fire, our correspondent added.
At least 3 killed as Israeli army continues bombardment of Nabatieh and surroundings
The Israeli army continued heavy bombardment of Nabatieh, which was hit by at least three strikes, as well as surrounding areas, killing at least three people, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
A drone strike killed an elderly Syrian national in the city, while two brothers, Mohammad and Ali Fouad Ghamlush, were killed in a strike on a building in Habboush, a nearby village.
Four families were evacuated by Nabatieh rescue teams following the strikes on the city, our correspondent added.
Israeli strikes also targeted Nabatieh Fawqa, Zibdin, Kfar Joz and Zawtar Sharqieh in the Nabatieh district, while artillery shelling hit Mayfadoun in the same area.
In the Sour district, artillery fire struck Deir Qanoun Ras al-Ain, Batoulieh and Majdal Zoun, while Hadatha and Braasheet were hit in the Bint Jbeil district. A powerful Israeli strike also targeted the Erkay valley in the Saida district, with explosions heard as far as Saida, according to our correspondent.
Israeli army strikes 2 Jezzine district villages previously placed under evacuation orders
The Israeli army has struck the villages of Kfar Houneh and Aaramta in the Jezzine district, located more than 20 kilometers from the border, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon. Evacuation orders were issued for the two villages over an hour earlier.
Clashes in Zawtar Sharqieh: Israeli army advancing along three axes
The Israeli army is advancing along three axes on the outskirts of Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh district), located north of the Litani River, where heavy clashes have been ongoing since Tuesday, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
The Israeli army has not yet occupied the village, nor is it advancing toward Mayfadoun, located just south of the city of Nabatieh, our correspondent added.
Israeli army continues attacks in Nabatieh district, at least 1 killed in Teffahta
The Israeli army continued its attacks in the Nabatieh district amid reported advances by its forces in the area. It carried out two strikes on Zefta, located deep inside the district, with the blast from the second strike heard as far as Saida, according to our correspondent.
Israeli strikes also hit Zibdin, Shoukin and Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr in the Nabatieh district.
Another strike targeted Teffahta in the Saida district, killing at least one person and injuring another, according to our correspondent.
Civil Defense evacuates 29 people 'trapped inside damaged buildings' in Doueir and Nabatieh
The Civil Defense said it evacuated 29 “citizens trapped inside damaged buildings in Doueir and Nabatieh,” according to a statement.
“Despite the danger of the strikes and the extensive damage they caused, search and rescue teams from the Directorate General of Civil Defense managed to evacuate and rescue 29 citizens who were trapped inside damaged buildings in Doueir and Nabatieh,” in the Nabatieh district, the statement said.
It added that operations in Doueir led to the rescue of two children and 12 other people, while in Nabatieh 15 residents were evacuated.
Israeli army orders evacuation of 5 villages, including 4 in Jezzine district
The Israeli army has ordered the evacuation of five villages in south Lebanon, including four in the Jezzine district and one, Houmin Fawqa, in Nabatieh, all located deep inside Lebanese territory.
The Jezzine-area villages affected are Kfar Houneh, Aaramta, Mlikh and Jarjouaa.
In a post on X, Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered residents to “evacuate immediately their homes and move away from the villages and towns by at least 1,000 meters toward open areas.”
Israeli army orders evacuation of 5 villages, including 4 in Jezzine district
The Israeli army has ordered the evacuation of five villages in south Lebanon, including four in the Jezzine district and one, Houmin Fawqa, in Nabatieh, all located deep inside Lebanese territory.
The Jezzine-area villages affected are Kfar Houneh, Aaramta, Mlikh and Jarjouaa.
In a post on X, Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered residents to “evacuate immediately their homes and move away from the villages and towns by at least 1,000 meters toward open areas.”
Iran’s intelligence chief says US and Israel still aim to topple Islamic Republic
Iran’s intelligence ministry said Wednesday that the United States and Israel continue to seek to “overthrow and sow discord within the Islamic Republic.”
“The enemy is now pursuing, through other means, the objective of overthrowing and dividing the country, an aim it openly declared at the start of the war but failed to achieve through a military attack,” the ministry said in a statement carried by Iranian media, according to AFP.
Body of soldier killed in Israeli drone strike near Qaraoun dam recovered
The body of the soldier killed yesterday in an Israeli drone strike near the Qaraoun dam has been recovered, after Israel initially refused to allow evacuation through the “mechanism” following a request by the Lebanese Army, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa.
The soldier has been identified as Salah Souni, originally from the village of Mhaidtheh (Rashaya district).
Souni is the 20th Lebanese soldier killed in Israeli strikes since the resumption of the war on March 2.
Two rescuers from al-Rissala (affiliated with the Amal Movement) were also killed on Tuesday at the same location in a “double-tap” strike after arriving to the scene to assist the soldier.
Hezbollah claims attacks against Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh
Hezbollah said it carried out several attacks against the Israeli army during the morning inside the village of Zawtar Sharqieh (Nabatieh district), located north of the Litani River and outside the “buffer zone” Israel is seeking to establish de facto in south Lebanon.
In earlier statements, the group had reported operations on the outskirts of the village, toward which the Israeli army launched an offensive on Tuesday at dawn.
According to its communiqués, Hezbollah first said it attacked Israeli forces at 4 a.m. near the village’s outskirts. It then reported “close-range combat” at 9 a.m. inside the village itself, saying it “forced the enemy to retreat.” At 11:10 a.m., it claimed a drone strike targeting an Israeli Merkava tank inside the locality, and at 12:10 p.m. an attack on a gathering of Israeli vehicles and soldiers near the village’s cultural center.
Heavy Israeli artillery shelling in Nabatieh and surrounding areas
Intense and continuous Israeli artillery fire has been targeting the outskirts of Nabatieh and nearby areas, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Inside the city itself, shelling struck areas around Nabih Berri Hospital, while an Israeli drone targeted the vicinity of Ghandour Hospital. A separate drone strike also hit Jibseet, in the Nabatieh district.
Israeli airstrikes further targeted a house in Burj Qalaway (Bint Jbeil district), several homes in Debbine (Marjayoun district), as well as areas in Shebaa (Hasbaya district) and Qleileh (Sour district).
Israeli army issues new evacuation order for the entire city of Nabatieh
The Israeli army has issued new evacuation orders for the entire city of Nabatieh, one of the main cities in south Lebanon, just a day after issuing such an order for the first time.
Residents of the city have been instructed to move “north of the Zahrani River,” according to a post on X by Arabic-language military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, who said the army would act “forcefully” against “Hezbollah.”
Heavy fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli army 6 kilometers south of Nabatieh
Heavy clashes are ongoing between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh and between Zawtar and Yohmor al-Shaqif in the Nabatieh district, around six kilometers south of the city of Nabatieh, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon. Israeli forces reportedly began advancing toward Zawtar Sharqieh on Tuesday, an area located north of the Litani River.
The sounds of fighting were heard as far as Saida, our correspondent said. Citing sources, he added that Hezbollah is carrying out successive attacks on Israeli forces in Zawtar Sharqieh using artillery, rockets and drones, and is preventing another Israeli force from advancing toward Yohmor al-Shaqif.
The Israeli army carried out multiple strikes in the past hour on Zawtar Sharqieh, Yohmor al-Shaqif and Nabatieh Fawqa, he added.
Heavy fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli army 6 kilometers south of Nabatieh
Heavy clashes are ongoing between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in Zawtar Sharqieh and between Zawtar and Yohmor al-Shaqif in the Nabatieh district, around six kilometers south of the city of Nabatieh, according to our correspondent in south Lebanon. Israeli forces reportedly began advancing toward Zawtar Sharqieh on Tuesday, an area located north of the Litani River.
The sounds of fighting were heard as far as Saida, our correspondent said. Citing sources, he added that Hezbollah is carrying out successive attacks on Israeli forces in Zawtar Sharqieh using artillery, rockets and drones, and is preventing another Israeli force from advancing toward Yohmor al-Shaqif.
The Israeli army carried out multiple strikes in the past hour on Zawtar Sharqieh, Yohmor al-Shaqif and Nabatieh Fawqa, he added.
Three killed yesterday in strikes near Qaraoun dam in the Bekaa
Two Israeli drone strikes on Tuesday near the Qaraoun dam in the southern Bekaa killed three people — a Lebanese Army soldier and two rescuers, our correspondent in the region reported.
A Lebanese Army soldier was killed in a first drone strike in the early afternoon. Two rescuers from the Islamic Scout Mission (al-Rissala, affiliated with Amal), Kamel Zein and Ahmad Qazouini, were later targeted after arriving at the scene while attempting to assist him.
The bodies of the two rescuers, both from the nearby village of Sohmor (West Bekaa), and the soldier from Mhaidtheh (Rashaya), have still not been recovered. The Israeli army has reportedly refused to allow their evacuation following a request by the Lebanese Army through the “mechanism” established after the November 27, 2024 cease-fire.
Israeli strikes on Tuesday on south Lebanon and the Bekaa have killed at least 34.
Israeli army advances in the South because Hezbollah 'emptied it for the sake of those humiliated in power,' Comati says
Mahmoud Comati, a member of Hezbollah’s political council, on Sunday reiterated sharp criticism of the Lebanese state, saying the Israeli army “managed to advance a few kilometers in the South because we had emptied it for the sake of those humiliated in power in Lebanon.”
Hezbollah had officially withdrawn from south of the Litani following the cease-fire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, endorsed by Hezbollah, in late November 2024. The deal reiterated the main provisions of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), which ended the 2006 summer war between Hezbollah and Israel.
“The president of the republic [Joseph Aoun] and others, who hold a government majority, want to strike the resistance during this mandate. They should know they are only a passing phase that comes and goes, while we, rooted in this country, will remain dignity, honor, strength, freedom and liberation for this homeland,” Comati added.
Turning to the issue of the state’s monopoly over arms — a demand reiterated by the Lebanese government since August 2025 — he warned: “If some want to take away our weapons, they want to take away our souls; and if they want to take away our souls, then we will take theirs.”
He also said that “the enemy [Israel] is crying out and asking for help from all countries in the world to save it from the trap it has fallen into.” He added: “We are openly allied with Iran and proud of it,” claiming that the cease-fire “would not even have been considered without Iranian pressure.”
An Israeli military vehicle, probably remotely controlled, spotted near Nabatieh Fawqa
According to rescuers contacted by our correspondent, an Israeli military vehicle of the Humvee type was seen near the “Lavitta Palace” wedding hall, on the outskirts of Nabatieh Fawqa, on the road leading toward Zawtar Sharqieh. These sources believe that it could be a remotely controlled vehicle on a reconnaissance mission in the area.
Local sources confirmed to our correspondent that the vehicle was not carrying any soldiers, and that once it was spotted, the Israeli air force targeted and destroyed it.
Other artillery fire continued to target the Nabatieh region, including Kfar Sir, Shoukin, Mayfadoun, Yohmor, Kfar Tibnit, Arnoun and Nabatieh Fawqa.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say likelihood of renewed war is 'low'
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday that a renewed war with the United States is unlikely amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations, while stressing that Iranian forces remain prepared for any escalation.
“The probability of war is low due to the enemy’s weakness,” Mohammad Akbarzadeh, a senior naval official within the IRGC, said, according to the Tasnim news agency. However, he added that “the armed forces remain on alert, with their magazines loaded,” vowing to turn the area stretching from the east to the west of the Gulf into “a cemetery for aggressors.”
Continued airstrikes and artillery fire across Nabatieh and Sour districts
Israeli strike on Srifa. (Credit: Photo shared by our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah)
Since dawn, Israeli strikes have continued unabated across southern Lebanon, with attacks reported in Breike, where two houses were targeted, as well as Zawtar Sharqieh, Kfar Roummane and Mayfadoun in the Nabatieh district. Two strikes using heavy explosive missiles also hit Zawtar Gharbieh, according to our correspondent, who said the blasts were heard kilometers away.
Artillery fire was also reported in the same area, along with machine-gun fire, particularly east of Kfar Tibnit. According to local reports, the Israeli army is continuing attempts to push toward the Nabatieh district.
In the Sour area, strikes hit Deir Aames, killing two people and injuring one, as well as Touline, Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, Srifa and Barish.
Overnight strikes target the Nabatieh region
In south Lebanon, nine air strikes targeted the Nabatieh area overnight, hitting Nabatieh Fawqa, Mayfadoun, Kfar Sir, Kfar Roummane, Shoukin and Zibdin, according to our correspondent.
One of the strikes on Shoukin completely destroyed the “al-Ajami” restaurant. The blasts were heard as far as Saida on the coast.
Israeli artillery also shelled several localities in the Sour district, including Mansouri, Haniyeh and the outskirts of Zibqine.
Other explosions were reported in different areas, though their origin could not immediately be confirmed.
Sohmor and Qaraoun dam targeted again overnight
According to our correspondent in the Bekaa, the night was marked by renewed Israeli strikes across the region, particularly on Sohmor. Missiles carrying heavy explosive payloads hit the village’s main road and central square.
Around 1 a.m., another airstrike targeted the road running alongside the Qaraoun dam, which had already been bombed repeatedly on Tuesday. The road links the villages of Mashghara and Sohmor to the rest of the Bekaa.
More than 120 strikes on 62 villages, 31 killed in Tuesday attacks on south Lebanon
Following Israel's escalation in south Lebanon and the Bekaa on Tuesday, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said attacks killed 31 people, including four children, and wounded 40 others:
- Burj al-Shemali (Sour district): 14 killed, including two children and three women, and 16 wounded, among them five children and six women.
- Kawthariyet al-Rez (Saida district): 5 killed and 6 wounded, including two children.
- Habboush (Nabatieh district): 4 killed, including two children, and 10 wounded, among them two children and three women.
- Maarakeh (Sour district): 6 killed and 6 wounded, including one child.
- Selaa (Sour district): 2 killed and 2 wounded.
According to our correspondent in the South's count, Israeli warplanes carried out more than 120 strikes targeting 62 localities throughout the day.
Drone strikes hit 18 targets across 12 localities, while 28 villages came under intense artillery shelling, including one locality struck with white phosphorus shells. Hezbollah, for its part, said it carried out 32 attacks targeting Israeli military positions inside occupied Lebanese territory and in northern Israel.
Roughly half of these operations aimed to prevent an Israeli advance on Zawtar Sharqieh, a village in the Nabatieh district located six kilometers south of the city and north of the Litani River.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the news in Lebanon where Israel has started carrying out its threat of an intensified offensive “against Hezbollah,” targeting south Lebanon and the Bekaa while expanding its ground invasion toward the city of Nabatieh.
We will also be following developments in Iran after the U.S. military carried out overnight airstrikes on the country between Monday and Tuesday, amid ongoing negotiations.
➡️ Catch up on Tuesday’s live coverage here.
Already have an account? Login here
You have reached your article limit
Iran-US-Lebanon: Everything can change in an instant.
Stay informed for only $6.9/month for 1 year, instead of $12.9.
This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers.
Already have an account? Login here
