Israeli army frees man captured in south Lebanon, continues attacks on Bint Jbeil

BEIRUT — The Israeli army continued its attacks in southern Lebanon on Friday, particularly in the Bint Jbeil district, and carried out a morning drone strike on a motorcycle, injuring its rider. Israel also released a Lebanese man it had captured earlier this week in the South.

The targeted motorcycle was traveling on the coastal road from Sour to Naqoura, near Bayyada. The presumed target of the strike, whose identity remained unknown as of Friday afternoon, was transported by rescuers from the Islamic Mission Scouts (al-Rissala) to a hospital in Sour.

Late Friday morning, the Israeli army detonated explosives on the outskirts of Zawtar Sharqieh, in the Nabatieh district. The explosion was heard in several nearby localities.

At the same time, Israeli military vehicles were seen moving between the villages of Haddatha and Haris, in the Bint Jbeil district. Haris, which is not part of the "buffer zone" unilaterally established by Israel in southern Lebanon and lies just north of Haddatha, which Israeli troops control, came under automatic gunfire for nearly 30 minutes on its outskirts late Thursday evening, frightening residents.

Israeli artillery targeted the outskirts of Haddatha toward Beit Yahoun. At 3:40 a.m., the Israeli army carried out a demolition operation on the outskirts of Haddatha toward Aita al-Shaab. During the night, Israeli forces also opened automatic gunfire on the outskirts of Qantara, in the Marjayoun district, and raided communal land in Mansouri, in the Sour district.

These attacks came a day after Israel carried out two airstrikes, drone strikes on two localities, artillery fire on at least seven localities, and nine demolition operations in southern Lebanon.

Israel releases Lebanese man

Meanwhile, Israel released Saad Salim al-Houdeiri, a Lebanese man it captured this week while he was traveling to the still-inhabited village of Rmeish, in the Bint Jbeil district, inside the "buffer zone." It handed him over to the Lebanese Army on Friday.

Houdeiri, who is from Bar Elias in the Bekaa, briefly contacted his wife after his release, telling her he was completing "formalities" with the troops.

In a video published Thursday, Houdeiri's wife urged authorities to intervene to determine her husband's fate. She said he had traveled to Rmeish earlier this week for work "after obtaining the necessary permits from the competent authorities, including the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL peacekeepers."

All movement is prohibited in the southern "buffer zone," which stretches about 620 square kilometers along the border. Some pockets remain inhabited, particularly the Christian villages of Rmeish, Ain Ibl and Dibil, in the Bint Jbeil district.

During nearly three years of conflict in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces have repeatedly abducted Lebanese residents, including local officials, in border villages, including during the truce that lasted from November 2024 to March 2026 and especially in recent weeks. Some detainees have been released the same day, while others — for whom there is no official count — remain detained in Israel.

Additional reporting contributed by our correspondent in the South, Muntasser Abdallah.