Conflict & Security
Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 11 in south
Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed 11 people, including three children, on Saturday, while Israel said it had targeted Hezbollah after an attack on its soldiers.
The ministry said seven people, including three children and two women, were killed in Ansar. It said four other people were killed and 17 wounded, including a child and 11 women, in Deir Zahrani.
Israel's military said the Ansar strike killed Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan, whom it described as a commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force. The military acknowledged reports that Hassan's family was present and said they were not the target. It accused Hassan of using his family as human shields.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said an Israeli air strike hit a home in Ansar, and that other strikes targeted the Ali al-Taher ridge overlooking the Nabatieh area and later Deir Zahrani.
The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure after the group attacked Israeli soldiers inside what Israel calls a security zone in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu's office said three Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said an entire family had been killed in Ansar and said Saturday's strikes sent a message about the negotiation process and US efforts to implement an Israel-Lebanon framework deal. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the women and children killed in Ansar were not military targets and urged Israel to halt what he called an extremely dangerous escalation.
A spokesman for Netanyahu, Doron Spielman, told AFP the strikes should "jumpstart the talks" and make them more serious. Israel and Lebanon are due to hold an eighth round of US-sponsored direct negotiations in Rome early next month.
Hezbollah said the attacks would be met with an appropriate response and urged Lebanese authorities to abandon direct negotiations with Israel. The group said Netanyahu wanted to escalate the war to strengthen his domestic political position.
The June framework deal calls for Hezbollah's disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon and deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, starting in pilot zones. Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected the deal and opposes the talks.
Israel says its forces are operating in a strip about 10 kilometres deep inside Lebanon. This week, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said troops would stay in the area. A US State Department official said a permanent military presence in south Lebanon would not be consistent with the framework commitments.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March with rocket fire at Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with air strikes and a ground invasion that Lebanese authorities say have killed more than 4,300 people. Violence has fallen since June, but Lebanon still reports intermittent Israeli strikes and demolitions in southern villages and towns.
Update
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman said the strikes should make upcoming talks with Lebanon more serious.
Hezbollah said the attacks would be met with an appropriate response and accused Netanyahu of seeking escalation for domestic political reasons.
Lebanese officials linked the strikes to concerns over the US-sponsored negotiation process.
The item describes the strikes as the deadliest since June deals eased hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 17:18:47 UTC.
Update
The Israeli military said the Ansar strike hit what it called a central headquarters of Hezbollah's Radwan Force.
The Israeli military identified Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan as a Radwan Force battalion commander it said was killed in the strike.
The Israeli military acknowledged what it called a claim that Hassan's family was present and said they were not the target.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 15:34:49 UTC.
Update
Israel said a strike in Lebanon targeted a Hezbollah commander.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 15:17:47 UTC.
Update
Lebanon's health ministry raised the total death toll from the strikes to 11.
The ministry said four people were killed and 17 others wounded, including a child and 11 women, in Deir Zahrani.
AFP reported seeing major damage in Deir Zahrani and traffic toward Sidon as some people travelled north with belongings.
The strikes were described as the deadliest raids since June deals eased hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 14:07:31 UTC.
Update
Hezbollah said Israeli attacks on Lebanon would be met with an “appropriate” response.
Hezbollah said Lebanese authorities should not continue what it called direct negotiations and free concessions to Israel.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 12:55:19 UTC.
Update
Hezbollah urged Lebanon to halt talks with Israel after deadly strikes.
Hezbollah described the Israel talks as humiliating.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 12:47:24 UTC.
Update
Israel's military said the strikes were in response to ceasefire violations by Hezbollah.
Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya wrote that Hezbollah had attacked Israeli forces inside an agreed-upon security zone.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 12:10:45 UTC.
Update
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned what he called ongoing Israeli attacks on south Lebanon.
Aoun said the strikes and alleged violations sent a clear message about the negotiation process between Lebanon and Israel.
A statement from Aoun's office said the violations led to the death of an entire family in Ansar.
The statement came ahead of the next round of US-sponsored Lebanon-Israel talks in Rome early next month.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 10:25:02 UTC.
Update
Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes killed nine people in southern Lebanon, including three children.
The ministry said two people were killed and nine wounded in Deir Zahrani, with the toll there described as provisional.
Israel said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in response to an action by Hezbollah against Israeli soldiers in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area.
The National News Agency reported a strike on the valley between Ansar and Zarariyeh and said it was the first at that geographical depth since the ceasefire two months ago.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 10:09:16 UTC.
Update
Lebanon's president said the Israeli strikes sent a "clear message" on negotiations.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 10:12:19 UTC.
Update
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the seven people killed included two women and three children.
Salam said the women and children killed were not military targets.
Salam said Israel must halt what he called an extremely dangerous escalation that undermines efforts to consolidate stability in southern Lebanon.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 09:14:38 UTC.
Update
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said those killed in the Israeli strike were not "military infrastructure".
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 09:03:15 UTC.
Update
AFP described the seven deaths as the worst toll since June deals brought a lull in Israel-Hezbollah hostilities.
The National News Agency said the valley between Ansar and Zarariyeh was struck at the greatest depth since the ceasefire two months earlier.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem accused Lebanese authorities of subjecting the army to undue pressure by implementing the Israel-Lebanon framework deal.
A US State Department official said a permanent Israeli military presence in south Lebanon would not be consistent with the framework commitments.
Human Rights Watch urged the United Nations to keep its peacekeeping force in Lebanon after the mandate ends this year.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 07:19:43 UTC.
Update
Lebanon's National News Agency said the strike destroyed the home near Ansar and rescuers were clearing rubble and taking casualties to hospital.
The agency reported a separate strike in the valley between Ansar and Zarariyeh.
The agency also reported airstrikes on the Ali al-Taher ridge and shelling in that area.
The agency said Israeli forces detonated homes in Bint Jbeil near the border.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 06:04:02 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The accounts of the Ansar target differ: Lebanon reported a strike on a home, while Israel said it targeted a Hezbollah commander and that family members present were not the target.
Responsibility and details of the alleged Hezbollah attack on Israeli soldiers are stated by Israel and are not independently established in the supplied material.
Source
AFP news report published on .