Five Killed in Lebanon as Israeli Forces Cross Strategic Litani River
Al Jazeera Staff
At least five people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, as military delegations from both countries prepare for security talks at the Pentagon. The attacks came despite a U.S.-mediated ceasefire extended in May, and as aid groups warn of a worsening humanitarian crisis.
At least five people were killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting towns in southern Lebanon, as military delegations from Lebanon and Israel plan to hold security talks at the Pentagon.
The attacks on Friday came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israeli forces had crossed the Litani River in Lebanon, about 30 kilometers north of the shared border, as part of an expanded ground offensive.
Israel's latest military operation proceeded despite a ceasefire that began on April 17 and was extended for 45 days on May 17 through U.S.-mediated indirect talks.
During the Pentagon talks late Friday, Lebanon was expected to demand that Israel halt the ongoing attacks, which have intensified in recent days. The Lebanese delegation consists of six officers led by army operations director General Georges Rizkallah. On the Israeli side, Brigadier General Amichai Levin, head of the strategic division in the military planning directorate, is in Washington for the talks.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the ceasefire with Israel is critical. A statement from his office said that during a phone call, Aoun “stressed the need to exert every effort to achieve a ceasefire, considering it an essential gateway to any further steps.”
In Friday's attacks, four people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a building in the town of Abbasiyeh, near the city of Tyre. Another person was killed in a separate airstrike on Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA). NNA reported that Israeli forces also launched a series of new airstrikes on the towns of al-Baisariyah, as-Sarafand, and Khirbet Selm.
The United Nations said 15 children had been killed and 62 wounded in Lebanon over the past seven days. The U.N. children's agency (UNICEF) called these numbers “staggering” and stressed that under international humanitarian law, children must be protected at all times in conflict. UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pires said, “On average, 11 children are affected every 24 hours. Just yesterday, 7 children were killed and 30 wounded.”
Many aid organizations fear they may have to withdraw from southern Lebanon due to the relentless attacks. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have fled their homes since March 2 and require urgent humanitarian assistance. Jeremy Ristord, from medical organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF), said about 40 hospitals in the south have closed, while rescue teams work under extreme pressure. He noted that 126 civilian rescue workers have been killed and 310 wounded since March.
Also on Friday, the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for seven more towns in southern Lebanon, including two located about 40 kilometers north of Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu visited soldiers near the border, confirming that Israeli forces had crossed the Litani River and advanced further, while also operating in Beirut and the Bekaa Valley in actions against Hezbollah.
