Israel expands strikes across southern Lebanon as Hezbollah escalates retaliatory attacks

Lebanon 18-05-2026 | 08:19

Israel expands strikes across southern Lebanon as Hezbollah escalates retaliatory attacks

Fresh Israeli airstrikes and evacuation warnings swept across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa on Sunday, while Hezbollah claimed new attacks on Israeli forces, exposing growing strains on a recently extended ceasefire.

Israel expands strikes across southern Lebanon as Hezbollah escalates retaliatory attacks
Airstrike targets Al-Baysariah in Southern Lebanon
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The Israeli army issued a warning yesterday, Sunday, to residents of Sohmaor (Western Bekaa), Roumine, Al-Qusaybah (Nabatieh), Kfar Houna, and Bnaafoul.

 

 

Later in the afternoon, Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on several towns in southern Lebanon, following warnings from the Israeli army spokesperson to residents of Marwaniyah, Arzi, Bablia, and Al-Baysariah, urging them to evacuate immediately and move to open areas.

 

 

Israeli warplanes carried out two strikes on the town of Al-Baysariah, as well as on the towns of Tarfelsay, Seddiqine, Maaroub, and Debaal. Initial reports indicated injuries in Tarfelsay.

 

In Marjayoun district, Israeli aircraft conducted a heavy strike on the town of Debbin, while another airstrike targeted the southern outskirts of the town of Yohmor Al-Shkif.

 

 

The Israeli army launched two airstrikes on Marwaniyah in southern Lebanon, Shoukine, Jibchit, Al-Sultaniyah, Kfar dounine, and Harouf.

 

"Hezbollah" Continues Its Response

Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to launch strikes claiming to target "Hezbollah" and its members, carrying out demolition and destruction operations in areas occupied by its forces in border-adjacent areas. Additionally, its army issues daily evacuation warnings to villages, which have geographically expanded to often include areas far from the border, inhabited by both residents and displaced persons from other areas.

 

 

Hezbollah continues to announce attacks against the Israeli army in Southern Lebanon and within Israeli territory, stating that these actions come in response to Israeli violations of the truce.

Al-Marwaniyah
Al-Marwaniyah

 

The party stated on Saturday that it struck a military target in northern Israel, announcing on Sunday that several operations were conducted against Israeli forces occupying villages in Southern Lebanon.

 

In a series of statements, Hezbollah announced that its fighters detonated an explosive device against an Israeli army force as it attempted to advance toward the Safita area on the outskirts of Yohmor al-Shaqif, leaving its members killed and wounded.

It also said it targeted two groups of Israeli army soldiers with artillery shells and attack drones, at Khallat Raj in the town of Deir Siryan and at the port area of Naqoura.

 

 

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday ahead of a cabinet meeting: “We are doing a lot there (in southern Lebanon); we are taking control of areas and clearing areas.”

 

He added that Israel is facing “the challenge of neutralizing fiber-optic drones” used by Hezbollah against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, noting that he had formed a team in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and instructed it “to find a solution to this threat and any future threat.”

The United States announced on Friday, after a third round of talks between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, the extension of the ceasefire that has been in effect since April 17 and was set to end on Sunday, for an additional 45 days.

 

 

Hezbollah rejects direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, the first in decades between the two countries that have no diplomatic relations. These negotiations primarily address the contentious issue of disarming the party, which it refuses.

Airstrike targets Bablia in Southern Lebanon
Airstrike targets Bablia in Southern Lebanon

 

 

Hussein Hajj Hassan said on Sunday that “the direct negotiations conducted by the Lebanese authorities with the Israeli enemy have placed them in a predicament and set them on a dead-end path that will lead to concession after concession without any result.”

 

Hezbollah, commenting on the extension of the truce on Saturday, saw the proposal to establish a security mechanism facilitated by the United States as an addition to the "series of gratuitous concessions" that Lebanese authorities offer.

 

The Israeli attacks since the war between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2 have resulted in the deaths of more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including over 400 people since the truce came into effect, according to Lebanese authorities, in addition to the displacement of over a million people.