Israeli air strikes killed at least 39 people across Lebanon on Saturday, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, as the army increased attacks despite a ceasefire announced last month.
One of the deadliest strikes hit the southern town of Saksakiyeh, where seven people, including a child, were killed and 15 others wounded, the ministry said.
The Israeli army said it had attacked Hezbollah members operating from a building it described as a military site. The military added that it was “aware of reports regarding harm to uninvolved civilians”.
Earlier on Saturday, a drone strike in the southern city of Nabatieh killed a Syrian father and his 12-year-old daughter, Lebanese officials said. The Health Ministry said they were on a motorcycle when they were first struck.
After surviving the initial hit and attempting to flee, they were struck again, killing the father. The wounded girl moved a short distance away before a third strike hit, and she later died in hospital, according to officials and medical sources.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry condemned the attacks, accusing Israel of deliberately attacking civilians and breaching international humanitarian law.
Israel says its operations are aimed at Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure, particularly in southern Lebanon, where cross-border fire has remained frequent since the Gaza war expanded regional tension.
Push for settlement
The US is pushing to turn the ceasefire into a broader political settlement between Israel and Lebanon. Representatives of both countries are due to hold a third round of talks in Washington on May 14 and 15, a US State Department official said.
The meetings follow an initial ceasefire announced on April 16 and later extended after a second round of negotiations. The official did not confirm who would attend next week, though earlier sessions were held at ambassador level at the White House, in the presence of President Donald Trump.
A State Department official said Mr Trump “has been clear that direct engagement between the two countries is the best way to swiftly advance a lasting peace and security agreement”. The official added that Washington believes Hezbollah is seeking to disrupt diplomacy through attacks on Israel and pressure inside Lebanon.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said peace remains possible but would require Lebanon’s government to strengthen its ability to confront Hezbollah, which is not part of the talks but has largely observed the ceasefire.
Diplomatic efforts are taking place alongside a sharp rise in violence. Israel has intensified strikes in southern Lebanon in recent weeks, while Hezbollah has fired on Israeli army positions across the border.
The UN has warned the situation risks sliding back into a wider conflict if the ceasefire framework collapses.
Tension also escalated after an Israeli strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs last week, the first attack on the capital since the ceasefire deal. Israeli troops said the strike killed a senior Hezbollah commander and damaged a residential building, while Lebanese officials reported civilian damage in the area.
Regional mediators say the Washington talks are intended to build on the fragile truce and establish clearer security arrangements along the border, but both sides remain far apart on core issues, including Hezbollah’s role in southern Lebanon and Israel’s continued military operations.
