Israeli Strikes Kill 11 in Southern Lebanon Village of Kfar Rumman

Israeli airstrikes on the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Rumman killed 11 people including two infants and two medics, Lebanese state media reported on Monday, as Israel accused Hezbollah of violating a June ceasefire agreement.

Deadly Strikes Hit Kfar Rumman

The overnight strikes destroyed a three-storey residential building in Kfar Rumman near Nabatieh, killing nine people including two infants, while a separate drone strike on a civilian vehicle killed two rescuers affiliated with the Amal movement. [1] One of the rescuers was 18 years old, according to his civil defence organisation affiliated with the Amal movement. [1] An AFP photographer saw that the building that was hit in Kfar Rumman had been destroyed, with school books and remnants of furniture strewn across the rubble. [1] Rescue teams were searching the debris on Monday morning for other victims. [1] Israeli airstrikes killed 11 people, including two infants, in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Rumman, while five others were wounded. [4] One of the overnight Israeli strikes hit a three-story residential building in Kfar Rumman, causing extensive damage and killing nine people, including two babies. [4] In a separate incident, two more people were killed after an Israeli drone struck a civilian vehicle in the same town. [4] Lebanese authorities said five people were also injured in the attacks and were transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment. [4] Israeli air attacks in southern Lebanon have killed at least 11 people, including two children and two medics, Lebanese state media reported. [5] Israeli warplanes hit a residential building early on Monday in the town of Kfar Reman in southern Lebanon, killing nine people including two children, and wounding five others. [5] A separate Israeli drone attack on a civilian vehicle in the town killed two medics inside the car. [5]

Israeli Warnings and Targets

Israel issued no warning before the Kfar Rumman strike but gave an evacuation order before striking Deir Zahrani, where it said it targeted a Hezbollah terrorist facility linked to an explosive drone launch. [1] Israel issued no warning to Kfar Rumman before the strikes but released an evacuation order ahead of a separate strike in nearby Deir Zahrani. [1] The Israeli military said in an Arabic-language message that it was targeting a "Hezbollah terrorist facility", warning that those who remained in the area were at risk. [1] "They called me at 2 am and told me to get out of the house because it is being targeted," resident Abbas Toufeili told AFP, referring to the Israeli army. "I said that's impossible, why is my house being targeted? There's nothing in it. I couldn't believe it." [1] He said he took his wife, children and elderly mother outside in their pyjamas and they stood on the street watching their house be destroyed. [1] The Israeli military also struck a residential area in the town of Deir al-Zahrani in southern Lebanon overnight after it issued a forced evacuation order. [5] The army says it targeted a building near a Hezbollah facility, which it claims was used to launch an explosive drone. [5]

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks after Israeli strikes killed 11 in southern village of Kfar Rumman. — Source: france24

Israeli Accusations of Ceasefire Violations

Israel's foreign ministry accused Hezbollah of repeated drone attacks and attempting to rebuild military capabilities in southern Lebanon in violation of the June ceasefire and disarmament terms. [1] On Monday, Israel's foreign ministry accused Hezbollah of "repeated drone attacks" and "attempting to rebuild its military capabilities in southern Lebanon". [1] The ministry said Hezbollah had violated the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel that includes disarmament of the group. [1] The Israeli army has said it is responding to Hezbollah's launch of two drones towards its soldiers inside Lebanon, but did not specify whether any of its troops were wounded. [1] Hezbollah has not claimed any attack since Jun 20. [1] Attacks have continued despite a United States-brokered framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon in June, which launched a “pilot zone” plan. [5] The pilot zones are meant to act as a test area for the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah and for the Israelis to withdraw, although they still occupy dozens of villages in southern Lebanon and Israel has refused further withdrawals, leading to a “stalled” diplomatic process. [5]

Recent Escalation and Casualty Trends

The attacks follow separate Israeli raids on Sunday that killed seven people and come after Israel claimed to have seized the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge from Hezbollah. [1] Israel has been intensifying strikes in the southern Nabatieh area after saying on Thursday that it had seized the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge from Hezbollah, a claim the Iran-backed group has not commented on. [1] On Sunday, Israeli strikes had killed another seven people after attacks on Friday killed four. [1] The attacks come a day after at least seven people were killed and 20 others were wounded in Israeli air raids on the nearby town of Arab Salim, also in the Nabatieh district. [5] Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed more than 4,350 people and wounded over 12,300 since the conflict escalated in early March, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. [5] Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion of Lebanon have killed more than 4,300 people since March, Beirut says. [1] Israeli forces are operating inside a self-declared "security zone" around 10km deep inside Lebanon along the border. [1] Though the US-brokered deal between Lebanon and Israel saw violence decrease, Israeli forces have continued razing villages in its so-called “security zone” in southern Lebanon, carrying out air strikes both within the zone and to its north, mostly without forced evacuation orders. [5]

Lebanese Government Response

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged Washington and the international community to help stop the Israeli attacks; more than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes and ground operations since March. [1] On Sunday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged Washington and the international community to help stop Israeli attacks. [1] Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has urged Washington and the international community to help stop Israeli attacks, with strikes on the south of the country killing at least 11 people on Sunday despite a truce and a framework deal aimed at halting the violence. [2]

Civilian Impact and Uncertainty

Residents returning after the June truce now living in fear, damage to homes, the shift from rescue to recovery operations, and local feelings that new rules of engagement are being imposed. [1] Villagers had returned home following the June truce after being displaced by the war. [1] "Since we returned here, we've lived in fear," Fouad Chakaron told AFP. [1] He insisted the targeted building was inhabited by "peaceful people with no connection to anyone". [1] Neighbours fled after the strike, which also damaged nearby buildings. [1] Reporting from Kfar Reman, Khodr said “uncertainty and fear” are now the prevailing feelings in southern Lebanon, as people had started returning to the region and rebuilding their homes with the hope that attacks would stop after the Lebanon-Israel deal was signed in June. [5] “The feeling here is that Israel is trying to impose or establish new rules of engagement,” Khodr said. [5] “People just do not know what is next. There’s been a wave of Israeli attacks over the past 48 hours. Civilians are being killed. Residential homes are being destroyed.” [5] “Recovery efforts by civil defence workers are continuing. They’ve been here throughout the night, but it’s no longer a rescue operation,” Khodr added. “It’s a recovery operation.” [5]

What to watch next: Israeli forces have continued operations inside the self-declared security zone, with further strikes reported in the Nabatieh area and to its north despite the June framework agreement.