Israeli Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon Leave Six Injured, Fuel Border Tensions
Edited By: Widad WAHBI
Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, hitting a cement plant and a site operated by an environmental organization. At least six people were injured, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, while the blasts triggered widespread panic across nearby towns.
The Israeli military said the attacks targeted a quarry run by the International Majabel Company and a facility belonging to Green Without Borders. In an official statement, it accused Hezbollah of using both sites as cover to rebuild “terrorist facilities and infrastructure” and to conceal militant activities.
These strikes follow similar raids earlier this week against bulldozers and excavators that Israel claimed were destined for Hezbollah’s operations.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed six injuries in the towns of Bnaafoul and Ansar. Local media, including the state-run National News Agency, reported that the explosions caused tremors across a wide area, sparking fear among residents. Witnesses described “massive booms” that shattered windows and sent people fleeing into the streets.
The strikes are part of a broader escalation along the Israel-Lebanon border, which has witnessed near-daily exchanges of fire since October 2023. Israeli officials say their campaign is designed to weaken Hezbollah’s capabilities, while Lebanese authorities have condemned the raids as a violation of sovereignty.
Analysts warn that the intensifying clashes raise the risk of a wider regional confrontation, especially as civilian areas increasingly feel the impact of the hostilities.
