Israeli Attacks on Lebanon Kill at Least 28, Including Children and Women, Amid Ceasefire Violations

KUALA LUMPUR,May 2026 — At least 28 people were killed and 42 others wounded after Israeli attacks struck several areas across southern, central and eastern Lebanon on Thursday, according to Lebanese official reports.

The attacks reportedly involved 95 airstrikes and nine artillery shelling operations, targeting residential neighbourhoods, commercial areas and key roads in several districts across the country. The casualties included six children, five women, two Lebanese soldiers and a family that was reportedly hit while trying to flee violence in southern Lebanon.

The latest escalation came despite a ceasefire agreement that had been in effect since April. Regional reports said Israel continued military operations in Lebanon as tensions remained high between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

In the Nabatieh district, heavy Israeli strikes targeted residential and commercial areas in Nabatieh city and nearby towns. Several buildings were destroyed, while a mosque near the Lebanese Red Cross centre was also reportedly damaged.

A separate attack on the Zefta-Deir al-Zahrani road killed two Lebanese soldiers. Another strike in Jibsheet reportedly killed a Bangladeshi worker, his wife and their child after their vehicle was targeted.

In the Sidon district, an Israeli strike hit a vehicle carrying a family fleeing along the Adloun Highway, killing six people, including two children and their parents. The highway is a key route connecting Sidon and Tyre.

Another Israeli strike targeted an apartment in a residential building in the Qiyaa area of Sidon, killing five people, including two women, and injuring 21 others, among them children. Associated Press also reported that an Israeli drone struck an apartment building in Sidon where displaced families were living, killing five people and wounding 21.

In Tyre, Israeli attacks hit several towns and neighbourhoods. One strike reportedly targeted a cafe and residential building on Hiram Street, causing fires and triggering rescue operations. Another strike destroyed a building in the Zuqouq al-Mufti area, while additional attacks hit roads and residential zones across the district.

The Israeli military also issued fresh evacuation warnings covering parts of Tyre, including neighbourhoods, refugee camp areas and locations near Hiram Hospital. Al Jazeera reported that Israel had ordered residents in large parts of southern Lebanon to move north of the Zahrani River, about 40 kilometres from the Lebanon-Israel border.

Artillery fire was also reported in several towns across Nabatieh, Marjayoun, Tyre and Hasbaya, while in eastern Lebanon, an Israeli strike targeted Sohmor in the Western Bekaa district.

Near Beirut, an Israeli strike hit an apartment in the Al-Rayan residential complex in Choueifat, close to the southern suburbs of the capital. The attack killed three people, including a woman, her baby daughter and a Syrian child, and wounded 15 others.

The Choueifat strike was also reported by Associated Press, which said Israel’s air force carried out an attack on a southern suburb of Beirut a day before crucial Lebanon-Israel negotiations in Washington. The strike further strained the fragile ceasefire that had been in place since April 17.

The escalation has raised serious concerns over civilian safety, especially as attacks continue to hit urban areas, roads and locations where displaced families are seeking shelter. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that large-scale displacement orders and continued strikes on urban centres are placing civilians at severe risk and worsening the humanitarian crisis.

Israel has said its operations are targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. However, reports from the ground indicate that civilian neighbourhoods, residential buildings, roads and populated areas have repeatedly been affected by the strikes.

The latest attacks also come as US-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel were expected to resume, beginning with technical discussions before moving toward broader negotiations in early June. However, the renewed wave of Israeli strikes has created uncertainty over the prospects for diplomacy.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks on Tyre and Nabatieh, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Associated Press reported that Lebanese and Israeli military officials were expected to hold security talks in Washington, even as attacks intensified on the ground.

The wider Israel-Hezbollah conflict has caused heavy losses in Lebanon. Associated Press reported that at least 3,269 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the start of the war, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, while more than one million people have been displaced.

The situation remains highly volatile, with both military escalation and diplomatic efforts taking place at the same time. While Washington-backed negotiations aim to stabilise the ceasefire, continued strikes and displacement orders are deepening fears that the conflict could widen further.

Lebanon continues to face mounting civilian casualties, mass displacement and growing pressure on emergency services as Israeli attacks persist across several regions.