Israel kills one in bombing spree on south Lebanon against alleged Hezbollah targets

At least 20 air strikes target underground facilities

Smoke rises from Israeli air strikes near Nabatieh, in southern Lebanon. AFP

One person was killed and 20 injured on Friday morning when Israeli fighter jets carried out at least 20 air strikes in south Lebanon, including on what was claimed to be an underground Hezbollah site.

The bombardment, breaching a fragile ceasefire, also caused a number of fires and shattered windows in dozens of homes, authorities said.

A woman was killed when one of the strikes destroyed an apartment building in Nabatieh. Local authorities identified her as Afaf Shahrour and said she was visiting her daughter and sister after arriving from her home in Germany less than a month ago. Some 13 people were injured in the attack.

Israeli military spokesman Lt Col Avichay Adraee said the strikes also targeted an underground facility that Hezbollah had recently been seeking to rebuild in the Beaufort Ridge area to the south-east of Nabatieh city. He did not provide evidence to back this claim.

The targeted site had previously been “rendered inoperable” by Israeli attacks, he said.

Seven people were injured in those strikes.

“The existence of the site and attempts to restore it constitute a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” he added.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the air strikes were a “blatant violation” of national sovereignty and the ceasefire deal between Hezbollah and Israel in November.

Mr Aoun urged the international community to intervene and pressure Israel to stop the attacks. Mr Salam said the strikes were a severe threat to Lebanon's drive to preserve stability.

The attacks were the latest in frequent breaches by Israel of the US-brokered ceasefire that ended 14 months of fighting with Hezbollah.

The Iran-backed Lebanese group has largely withdrawn its forces from south of the Litani river, in line with the ceasefire agreement, Lebanese authorities have previously told The National.

The agreement requires the Lebanese state to disarm and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and military positions “starting with the southern Litani area” within 60 days. But it did not set a timeline for dismantling the group’s positions north of the river. The Litani runs roughly parallel to the southern border with Israel, about 30km away.

Israel also continues to occupy five areas of Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah, severely weakened by last year's fighting, did not intervene in support of its patron Iran in Tehran's 12-day conflict with Israel this month.