Smoke rises following an Israeli strike on the town of Khrayeb, in the Sour district, May 29, 2026. (Credit: Photo provided by Muntasser Abdallah)
SOUTH LEBANON — Israeli forces advanced overnight near the town of Debbine (Marjayoun district), while continuing strikes in the Nabatieh and Sour districts after days of heavy bombardment.
During the night, continuous artillery shelling with dozens of shells targeted the neighboring towns of Blat and Debbine, where Israeli military vehicle movements were observed at the northern end of Khiam, across from Debbine.
This situation pushed the Lebanese Army to withdraw Thursday evening from a post at the Khiam-Ebl al-Saqi-Debbine triangle in Marjayoun, after intensified Israeli strikes on Debbine, Israeli army vehicle movements in the area, and a warning addressed to the residents of Jdeidet Marjayoun not to circulate outdoors.
Contacted on Friday by our correspondent, the municipality head of Blat said he had "no confirmed information about what is happening inside Blat or Debbine."
"We only receive reports relayed by residents of neighboring villages," he said. "I do not think Israeli forces have entered the locality of Blat, but the town suffered intense artillery bombardment last night, as did the village of Debbine, which was also heavily affected," he added.
Meanwhile, residents of Marjayoun, contacted by phone by L'Orient-Le Jour, said they saw Israeli tanks at the entrance of Debbine on Thursday. However, they said they did not know if these tanks had entered the village and positioned themselves there or if they had withdrawn afterward. Residents say they have been ordered not to move around due to insecurity, adding that several artillery shells targeted their village, damaging the church and its bell tower, as well as causing other destruction.
Israeli strikes on Debbine continued throughout Friday.
Continued strikes on the districts of Nabatieh and Sour
Heavily bombed in recent days, the districts of Nabatieh and Sour were also targeted by Israeli bombardments. Israeli strikes and artillery fire targeted Yohmor al-Chaqif (Nabatieh) several times on Friday. Hezbollah announced it had attacked, in this locality, a Merkava tank of the Israeli army at 8:50 a.m., claiming that the armored vehicle "was seen burning."
Additionally, the towns of Arnoun al-Chaqif (Nabatieh), as well as Deir Qanoun al-Nahr and Qlayleh (Sour), were attacked by the Israeli army. Israeli strikes targeted Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Kfar Joz and Ali Taher (Nabatieh), and the outskirts of Qatrani (Jezzine). In addition, Israeli fighter jets struck Kfar Tibnit and Toul, in the Nabatieh district. Bombardment also targeted Nabatieh, Kfar Roummane and Zebdin.
Israeli attacks killed at least 12 and injured several on Friday. Three people were injured in strikes on Jwayya (Sour), while a strike on Aita al-Jabal (Nabatieh) killed one person, according to our correspondent. Four people were killed in strikes in Tayr Debba (Sour), he added. A municipal police officer was killed in a strike on Abba (Nabatieh). Four people were killed in a strike that targeted a building earlier in Shabriha (Sour).
A strike on Deir Qanoun al-Nahr targeted a car parked on the side of the road, killing one person.
In addition, a drone strike by the Israeli army hit a center belonging to the Islamic Health Committee, affiliated with Hezbollah, in Maaroub, killing a man from Deir Qanoun al-Nahr.
The Israeli army also called on Friday for the evacuation of seven villages in southern Lebanon. A first evacuation order targeted the village of Ain Qana, which was later bombarded, followed by villages in the Saida district: Ansarieh, Khrayeb, Sarafand, Adloun and Baysarieh, as well as Chabriha.
Israeli strikes hit Friday afternoon Froun, Mansouri (Sour), Kharayeb (Saida), Bazourieh (Sour), Harouf, Arnoun, Yohmor al-Chaqif and Ali Taher (Nabatieh). After receiving authorization from the cease-fire monitoring "mechanism," the Lebanese Army arrived in the village of Doueir (Nabatieh) to search for Suzanne Hoteit, missing for six days.
Reporting contributed by our regional corresponent, Muntasser Abdallah.
