Israeli strikes on a residential building in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Rumman killed at least 11 people, including two children and four women, according to Lebanon's health ministry. A separate drone strike on a civilian vehicle killed a medic and wounded two others. The attacks occurred without an online evacuation warning from the Israeli military.
Witnesses reported seeing children's schoolbooks scattered in the rubble. An eight-year-old boy, Mustafa Farhat, lost his grandparents and mother in the strike; rescue workers continued searching for his father's body as of Monday morning.
“What did they target? What is the goal they are targeting? Do they want us to leave our land? They are mistaken,” said Mona Farhat, a relative of the victims, speaking at the hospital.
The Israeli military said it struck individuals transferring weapons in the area and that steps had been taken to minimise harm to uninvolved individuals, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance. It said it was reviewing reports that uninvolved individuals had been harmed.
The strikes come amid escalating violence following the June ceasefire that was meant to halt hostilities between the Israeli military and Hezbollah. Israeli forces have recently ramped up operations near the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge, which Israel said last week it had cleared of Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah has not commented on the situation, and the military claims could not be independently verified.
On Sunday, Israeli strikes on three towns near the ridge killed at least 11 people, according to the health ministry. Lebanese security officials told Reuters they anticipate further escalations in the south in the coming weeks.