Tense night in south Lebanon: Israeli army threatens residents of Maghdoucheh near Saida

From Saturday night into Sunday morning, Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon intensified, notably with fierce clashes at the southern entrance to Mayfadoun, an attempted Israeli army advance toward Kfar Tebnit and threats directed at residents of Maghdoucheh, in the Saida district, about 40 kilometers from the Israeli border, according to our correspondent in the region.

During the night, residents, the village mokhtar and members of the municipal council received a threat from the Israeli army warning that the village would be bombed if they allowed Hezbollah members to enter. At the same time, drones conducted continuous flyovers over the city of Saida and the surrounding area, including Maghdoucheh, beginning at 2 a.m.

After midnight, violent clashes broke out at the southeastern entrance to Mayfadoun, in the Nabatieh district, as Israeli forces positioned in Zawtar al-Sharqieh attempted to advance toward the outskirts of the village in an effort to seize a hill overlooking Mayfadoun. Hezbollah, however, claimed it thwarted the advance by firing salvos of rockets at the advancing vehicles. The group also said it struck a rear Israeli position to prevent reinforcements from arriving and hit two Merkava tanks.

In the morning, the Israeli army also attempted to advance toward Kfar Tibnit and the Ali al-Taher hills, which overlook the Nabatieh area. Fierce clashes followed, during which Hezbollah said it repelled the advance and shelled Israeli troop concentrations near Beaufort Castle and Yohmor al-Shaqif, while the Israeli army expanded its attacks.

Israeli threats against Nabatieh

The fighting came as Israeli news outlet Walla reported Sunday that the head of the Israeli army's Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, was pushing to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure in Nabatieh. Israeli Finance Minister and far-right figure Bezalel Smotrich also appeared to suggest bombing Beirut's southern suburbs in a post on X.

Since Saturday night, Israeli airstrikes have targeted the villages of Kfar Tibnit, Shoukin and Zifta in the Nabatieh district; Haris in the Bint Jbeil district; Deir Aames and Deir Kifa in the Sour district; the al-Aroush quarry in Rihan; Bouslaiya; and the outskirts of Qatrani in the Jezzine district. The strike on Deir Kifa killed one person. The villages of Srifa, Byout al-Sayyad and Mansouri in the Sour district, as well as Jibsheet, Ebba, Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Kfar Roummane in the Nabatieh district, were also shelled by Israeli artillery.

In the morning, Israeli drones targeted a motorcycle in the village of Zifta, killing two people, and another motorcycle in Shehabieh, seriously wounding one person. The localities of Doueir, Kfour and Ebba in the Nabatieh district, as well as the road linking Haddatha and Aita al-Jabal in the Bint Jbeil district, were also struck. Artillery fire hit the villages of Srifa and Qalawieh, while at least one building was demolished in Tiri, both in the Bint Jbeil district.

On Saturday, Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on 38 villages in southern Lebanon and drones attacked 24 villages, according to our correspondent.

Hezbollah said it fired successive salvos of rockets and arti llery shells at Israeli soldiers a nd vehicles on the southeastern outskirts of Yohmor al-Shaqif. The group also said it launched an Ababil drone at an Israeli military command post in Naqoura at 12:30 a.m. and targeted a Merkava tank and Israeli troops south of Haddatha, in the Bint Jbeil district. Hezbollah further claimed it launched two drones at Israeli soldiers on the southern outskirts of Haddatha at 3 a.m. Sunday.

Reporting by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah