Israel Strikes South Lebanon; Ambulance Hit Amid Escalation

Israeli aircraft conducted a series of airstrikes on towns in southern Lebanon, including Kfar Rumman, Arabsalim, and Nabatieh al-Fawqa, on Monday. Simultaneously, a drone targeted an ambulance belonging to the "Al-Risala Association" in Kfar Rumman, injuring several people, according to the National News Agency. In Deir ez-Zahrani, an Israeli airstrike hit a building minutes after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning to residents. Artillery shelling also targeted areas around Nabatieh, Kfar Rumman, Jabal al-Rafi, and Talleh al-Dabsha, contributing to the ongoing escalation and repeated violations of the ceasefire.

Rescue teams recovered ten injured individuals from a building in Kfar Rumman that had been struck by the Israeli military early Monday. The Israeli military stated that the strikes on Deir ez-Zahrani were in response to Hezbollah launching two drones toward Israeli soldiers in what it described as its "security zone" in southern Lebanon, calling it a violation of the ceasefire. The military had previously issued an evacuation warning in Arabsalim, ordering residents to leave buildings near a facility it claimed belonged to Hezbollah.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health's emergency operations center reported that since March 2, there have been 4,362 casualties and 12,378 wounded in Israeli attacks. Since October 8, 2023, the total number of casualties has reached approximately 8,929, with 30,614 wounded.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged the United States to take urgent action to halt the Israeli raids on southern Lebanon, warning of a dangerous escalation, particularly after seven people were killed in Israeli strikes despite the ceasefire and framework agreement between the two countries. This escalation follows the regional war extending into Lebanon on March 2, after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the initial phase of the US-Israeli war on Iran.