NABATIEH, Lebanon (AP) – On Friday, June 27, 2025, the Israeli air force executed a series of intense airstrikes targeting mountainous regions overlooking the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military announced that these strikes were aimed at underground assets associated with the Hezbollah militant group, marking a significant escalation in military activity since the ceasefire with Hezbollah in November 2024.
Following the airstrikes, an apartment building in Nabatieh was struck, resulting in the death of one woman and injuries to eleven others. According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, the deceased, who had returned to Lebanon from Germany less than a month prior for a family visit, was killed in an Israeli drone strike. It remains unclear whether she held German citizenship.
The Israeli army has contested the claim of targeting civilian structures, asserting that the building was affected by a Hezbollah rocket that originated from another site targeted in the airstrikes. They maintained that Hezbollah bears responsibility for the presence of weapons in residential areas, which increases risks for these communities.
Since the conclusion of the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war, which resulted in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, Israel has conducted almost daily air raids in southern Lebanon, with Friday's operations being notably more intensive than usual. A local Shiite cleric, Hassan Ghandour, emphasized the resilience of the community despite the ongoing bombardments by Israeli fighter jets and drones.
Lebanon's governmental authorities, including the president and prime minister, condemned the Israeli airstrikes, asserting that they constitute a violation of the terms outlined in the ceasefire agreement. Reports indicate that the air assaults on the mountainous areas surrounding Nabatieh occurred in two waves and involved the use of bunker-buster munitions. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported at least four additional individuals sustained minor injuries during these strikes outside the city.
The Israeli military stated that its fighter jets had targeted a site where Hezbollah was managing its military operations within the region. They claimed that the strikes were part of an effort to dismantle a significant underground network used by Hezbollah, with the military asserting they had detected attempts by Hezbollah to rehabilitate these assets prior to the strikes.
As of now, no response has been issued by Hezbollah following the recent attacks. It is noteworthy that Hezbollah experienced considerable losses during the previous war, which resulted in over 4,000 deaths in Lebanon and an estimated $11 billion in damages, while casualties in Israel included 127 individuals, 80 of whom were soldiers.
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah was required to withdraw from areas bordering Israel in southern Lebanon and is prohibited from maintaining an armed presence south of the Litani River. The airstrikes executed on Friday were carried out in regions north of this designated river.
___
Bassem Mroue contributed to this report from Beirut.
Ahmad Mantash, The Associated Press
