A building on fire in Zawtar Sharqieh, in the Nabatieh district, on September 22. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — Israeli strikes on several localities overnight from Saturday into Sunday were followed by further attacks Sunday, marking a new escalation in south Lebanon. The Israeli army said it had targeted “Hezbollah targets” Saturday night in retaliation for the launch of a “booby-trapped drone” that caused “no injuries,” according to a statement posted on X by its Arabic-language spokesperson, Ella Waweya. “Among the targets hit were sites used by the Shiite group to launch booby-trapped drones and anti-tank missiles toward Israeli forces, as well as other infrastructure,” she said.
On Sunday, the Israeli army carried out airstrikes and artillery fire and carried out explosions in several villages. An Apache helicopter struck a building housing shops on the Mayfadoun-Shoukin road in the Nabatieh district, according to our regional correspondent Mountasser Abdallah. A second strike hit the same location, forcing rescuers to withdraw. A house in Qabrikha was also targeted by an Apache. In the Marjayoun district, a strike targeted a building belonging to Adnan Mounajjed at the intersection of Khiam and the “Dabash” area on the outskirts of Mais al-Jabal.
Israeli artillery fire also hit an area between Haddatha and Haris in the Bint Jbeil district. A Merkava tank fired four shells at Haddatha before heading toward a shopping center in the town, where several soldiers set fire to the premises. Later, Israeli aircraft fired several heavy missiles at an area between the two localities, targeting a house. In the same district, the Israeli army carried out machine-gun fire toward Beit Yahoun, while artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Aitaroun. An artillery shell was also reported on the outskirts of Braasheet, near Kounin.
In the Sour district, Israeli phosphorous artillery fire targeted Mansouri, while machine-gun fire was directed toward the coastal village. Israeli military movements were observed inside the locality, where reports emerged of operations to booby-trap houses. Further artillery fire hit Mansouri, while a Merkava tank shelled the village several times, accompanied by machine-gun fire toward the area and the dropping of incendiary bombs. In the afternoon, the Israeli army carried out an explosion in the locality, which was also targeted by two missiles. The Israeli army also carried out an explosion on the outskirts of Beit Yahoun and Tiri in the Bint Jbeil district, and another in Majdal Zoun in the Sour district. Meanwhile, machine-gun fire targeted Shebaa in the Hasbaya district, while artillery fire focused on Wadi Slouqi.
For his part, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the annexation of southern Lebanon. “I would like us to annex at least up to the Yellow Line in Gaza and up to the Litani River in Lebanon, because if a war ends along the same lines on which it began, what will deter the enemy?” Benjamin Netanyahu’s finance minister said in a podcast by Israeli online outlet Ynet. Smotrich is known for making similar incendiary statements. The Israeli army still occupies a strip roughly 10 kilometers deep in southern Lebanon.
Series of strikes
Overnight from Saturday into Sunday, Israeli strikes hit several localities across different districts, including the outskirts of Khiam near Ibl al-Saqi in the Marjayoun district. The Shanouh area near Kfar Shuba in the Hasbaya district was then targeted, as was Kfar Tibnit in the Nabatieh district. Around 2 a.m., Israeli aircraft carried out another series of strikes on Kfar Tibnit and an area between Nabatieh Fawqa and Mayfadoun.
In the Sour district, Mansouri was targeted throughout Saturday evening by strikes, machine-gun fire and artillery fire. At 9 p.m., the Israeli army fired machine guns toward the locality, while a Merkava tank shelled it several times. Three large explosions also occurred in the village.
At the same time, the Israeli army shelled other localities, including Wadi Slouqi in the Marjayoun district, which was targeted twice, and Wadi Zebqine in the Sour district. In the Nabatieh district, artillery fire hit the outskirts of Zawtar Sharqieh and Kfar Tibnit, as well as Dohat Kfar Roummane and the area around the industrial zone, with more than seven shells. The Israeli army also fired machine guns toward Zawtar Sharqieh while dropping flares over the locality.
In the Bint Jbeil district, Israeli forces also fired machine guns toward Beit Yahoun and Srebbine. In the Hasbaya district, flares were dropped near Halta while machine-gun fire was directed toward the area. Another burst of machine-gun fire came from the Roueissat el-Alam position toward the outskirts of Kfar Shuba. An Israeli force of four vehicles also entered the outskirts of Halta and Kfar Shuba, accompanied by machine-gun fire and the dropping of flares. In the Marjeyoun district, Israeli forces carried out three powerful explosions in the Jabali sector of Khiam.
On Saturday, Israeli strikes also reached areas outside the occupied zones, notably the locality of Sojod in the Jezzine district. The Israeli army said it had struck a “Hezbollah arms depot,” claiming it contained equipment used to target “Israeli forces operating in the security zone and hinder their activities.” The strikes also targeted Jabal al-Rafih in the Jezzine heights with a missile fired by a drone.