5 civilians injured in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

BEIRUT -- Five civilians were injured on Saturday as Israel carried out 21 airstrikes targeting southern Lebanon, Lebanese military and medical sources told Xinhua.

Lebanese military sources, who spoke anonymously, said that the five civilians were wounded in an airstrike targeting a house in the town of Baraachit in the central sector of southern Lebanon and were transported by ambulances to Tebnin Governmental Hospital.

The sources said that Israel on Saturday carried out 21 air strikes on nine towns and villages in the eastern and central sectors of the border area in southern Lebanon, leading to the destruction of 40 houses while damaging over 200 others.

Also Saturday, a Hezbollah fighter died after suffering from severe injuries due to an Israeli drone strike that targeted his car on Feb. 12 in Bint Jbeil, according to the sources.

Hezbollah announced in several statements that it had attacked several Israeli sites with appropriate weapons.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry called on the international community to increase pressure on Israel to stop its hostile actions in Lebanon and Gaza, saying in a post on X that "Israel's hostile actions undermine the chances of a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace" in the region.

"It is time for Israel to try peace as an alternative to war and occupation," said the ministry in a statement.

On Friday, Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said Israel's bombing in southern Lebanon has led to the destruction of around 1,000 houses while causing damage to over 8,000 others.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 311 people on the Lebanese side, including 209 Hezbollah members and 59 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources.