Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon reportedly killed 27 civilians and wounded dozens more over the weekend, according to Lebanese authorities, as attacks continued despite a US-mediated ceasefire between the two sides.
Reporting from the Nabatieh region, RT correspondent Steve Sweeney said the victims included a baby and two teenagers. He initially reported that 22 people had been killed between Friday evening and early Monday, before Lebanon’s Health Ministry raised the death toll to 27, with another 69 people injured.
The latest bombardment comes despite a ceasefire that has been in effect since late June. Lebanese authorities say Israeli military operations have killed more than 4,000 people and injured over 12,000 in Lebanon since March.
Israel said its latest strikes were directed at sites connected to Hezbollah. However, Sweeney reported from the scene that locations hit included a children’s amusement park, a hospital and a residential building that was completely destroyed.
According to Sweeney, the owner of the demolished home said an Israeli evacuation warning was received during the early hours of Monday. Relatives contacted him and he left the property at around 3am, shortly before the building was struck.
The renewed escalation comes days before another round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, which are scheduled for September 15 and 16.
