Israel Raids Claim Lives of At Least 11 People in Southern Lebanon as Tensions Intensify
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Dhivyanshu
- . August 18, 2026
- . Update: August 18, 2026 4:56 pm
At least 11 people died in Israeli raids in southern Lebanon, Lebanese officials reported, marking one of the bloodiest days in the recent violence since a June deal was brokered to lower tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon raids, In a statement, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam revealed that seven people died in Israeli raids on a house in the vicinity of Ansar, which is located about 70km from Beirut in Lebanon. Lebanon’s national media outlet has said that three children and two women were among the dead.
The second wave of raids took place in the town of Deir al-Zahrani, where four people lost their lives, and five others got injured, according to the Ministry of Health of Lebanon.
First Israeli Raid Claims Seven Lives in Ansar
The first Israeli raid occurred at about 04:30 in Ansar, where displaced families lived.
IDF described the attack as being against Ali Samir al-Haj Hassan, who is reported to be a Hezbollah battalion commander of the Radwan Force.
According to IDF, the attack came following an attack against Israeli soldiers who got injured severely in the attack. Israel accused Hassan of participating in the advancement of attacks against their forces.
IDF further described the Hezbollah members, including Hassan, as operating out of a military command post despite civilian presence in the area.
Israel described Hassan as a legitimate military target and accused Hezbollah of employing civilians as human shields.
Israel’s Attack on Lebanon Receives Backlash
The Lebanese government rejected the justification given by Israel regarding the strike.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced the strike and said the seven individuals killed in Ansar were civilians and the location is not a military facility.
Salam urged Israel to desist from the attack, which he described as an escalation, arguing that the lives of Lebanese citizens cannot be negotiated.
President of Lebanon Joseph Aoun also denounced the deaths and said that Israel is continually violating the ceasefire arrangement framework.
4 More Dead in Deir al-Zahrani Attacks
Violence erupted again later on the same day with Israeli raids on Deir al-Zahrani.
The Ministry of Health of Lebanon reported that four people died and five others were wounded in the attacks.
These attacks raised worries about possible escalation of violence in south Lebanon despite the ceasefire agreement reached in June.
Differing Accounts From Israel and Hezbollah Over Ansar Attack
Different and conflicting accounts about the Ansar attack have been offered by Israel and Hezbollah.
The Prime Minister’s office of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, justified the operation by the IDF, stating that it was carried out against a Hezbollah command center responsible for an attack on three Israeli soldiers.
According to the statement from Netanyahu’s office, the IDF discovered after the raid that there were civilians at the site.
Hezbollah refuted the claims made by Netanyahu, calling them lies and stating that Israel deliberately targeted Lebanese civilians in their homes.
What Is the June Ceasefire Agreement About?
In March, Lebanon became involved in the broader regional conflict after Hezbollah rocketed Israel in response to an attack from Israel that killed Iran’s supreme leader.
As a result, Israel has launched massive attacks against various targets in Lebanon and moved its troops into some parts of southern Lebanon.
The June ceasefire agreement provides for Hezbollah’s disarmament, Israeli forces’ gradual withdrawal from southern Lebanon and deployment of Lebanese army troops into the entire region.
However, Hezbollah has not been a part of this deal and does not want to negotiate directly with Israel.
According to the latter, its troops will go on striking targets in the security zone in southern Lebanon 10km deep.
Continued Instability in Southern Lebanon – Lebanon raids
While the intensity of hostilities has decreased since June, Israel has continued launching strikes and bulldozing some areas of southern Lebanon.
The latest actions have stirred up doubts regarding the viability of the ceasefire agreement while Lebanese and Israeli negotiators are preparing for the new round of talks.
The two parties are scheduled to meet for the eighth round of negotiations in September; however, no date has been set yet.
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