Israeli Airstrikes Intensify Across Southern Lebanon, Causing Casualties and Damage

BEIRUT: Israeli airstrikes and artillery bombardment targeted multiple locations across southern Lebanon early Friday morning, resulting in fatalities and significant property damage. The strikes, which focused on areas in the Tyre, Bint Jbeil, and Nabatieh districts, included the use of phosphorus shells and extensive surveillance by Israeli drones. According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Israeli fighter jets launched an airstrike on Hanine in the Bint Jbeil district, accompanied by artillery fire on Hanine and the nearby village of Kounine. In the town of Bazouriyeh, three bodies were retrieved following a pre-dawn airstrike, underscoring the deadly impact of the recent escalation. In Nabatieh, the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif was targeted by an Israeli drone, which struck a supermarket, an internet distribution station, and a mobile devices store, causing extensive property damage. In the Tyre district, villages in the western sector have been subjected to continuous airstrikes and heavy artillery bomba rdment since dawn, affecting areas such as Dhaira, Zebqin, Tayr Harfa, and the outskirts of Alma al-Shaab, among others. The use of phosphorus shells in these areas has led to fires in forests and olive groves, with several homes also sustaining damage. Intense surveillance activity by Israeli reconnaissance and drone aircraft has been observed over the western and central sectors of Tyre, extending to the outskirts of the city and its coastal area throughout the morning.