Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon after overnight rocket fire

Lebanese media reported on Saturday that at least 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. A military source told Reuters that the Israel Defense Forces were attacking Hezbollah targets in response to more than 50 launches aimed at forces operating in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese state news agency said one Lebanese Army soldier was killed in the strikes. In an official statement, the Lebanese Army said the continued Israeli attacks were meant to obstruct efforts to restore stability in the country.

At the same time, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported that Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, was expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his visit to Tehran, along with other senior Iranian officials. Saudi newspaper Al-Hadath, citing sources, said Naqvi was on a mission to persuade the Iranian delegation not to postpone its participation in talks with the United States after Iran threatened to walk away from negotiations if Israel continued its attacks in Lebanon.

In response to the fighting, IDF Arabic-language spokeswoman Lt. Col. Ella Waweya said, “Lebanon is not an enemy of Israel. The problem is Hezbollah, which drags Lebanon again and again into destruction and prevents the Lebanese from stability, security and prosperity.” She added that if Hezbollah stopped violating agreements and refrained from hostile activity, calm and stability could be achieved for both sides. She said Israel’s presence in the security zone was intended to remove threats and dismantle military infrastructure Hezbollah had built over years, not to harm Lebanese civilians.