Israeli Strikes Kill Nine in South Lebanon, Deadliest Since June

Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed nine people, including three children, on Saturday, marking the deadliest raids since a lull in hostilities in June.

Two airstrikes hit homes in Ansar and Deir al-Zahrani. In Ansar, seven people were killed early Saturday morning when a home was bombed. Hours later, a strike on Deir al-Zahrani killed two and wounded nine. An Israeli drone also targeted a motorcycle in Nabatieh, with an unclear outcome for the driver. The Israeli military stated it attacked "Hezbollah infrastructure" in response to Hezbollah fighters attacking Israeli soldiers.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized the strikes, stating the seven killed in Ansar were not military targets and urged Israel to halt an extremely dangerous escalation. The attacks occurred despite a June ceasefire. Residents fled the affected areas. The strikes are among the deadliest since Lebanon agreed to a U.S.-mediated peace framework with Israel in June, which leaves Israeli troops in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed.

Hezbollah has rejected the terms of this deal. The total number of people killed in Lebanon in the latest round of hostilities since March 2 has reached at least 4,300.