Israel has intensified its deadly strikes across southern Lebanon, continuing its military operations even as diplomatic efforts in Washington aimed to foster direct talks between the two nations.
According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), at least **20 individuals were killed** in Wednesday’s assaults. These attacks occurred merely a day after Lebanese and Israeli envoys engaged in discussions in the United States.
The NNA detailed that among the casualties were a family of four – a couple, their son, and their daughter-in-law – who lost their lives in their home in Jbaa. Tragically, four paramedics were also killed in a “triple-tap” strike while on an urgent mission to aid wounded individuals in Mayfadoun.
Concurrently, Israeli forces carried out additional strikes south of Beirut, targeting two vehicles. One incident occurred in the coastal town of Saadiyat, and the other on a highway in nearby Jiyeh, approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the capital.
Reporting from Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr conveyed the palpable **anger among the populace**. “People believe the Lebanese government should not have engaged in talks with Israel, which they view as an enemy responsible for over 2,000 deaths in recent weeks,” she stated.
Khodr emphasized that the primary demand of residents is “an end to the attacks,” highlighting that various neighborhoods have been “repeatedly targeted by Israeli strikes in recent weeks.”
Residents are also questioning why the November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah, which Israel reportedly violated almost daily, has not been upheld.
Hezbollah Lawmaker Criticizes Beirut’s ‘Concessions’
The recent meeting between Lebanese and Israeli envoys, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marked the **first direct diplomatic engagement in decades** between the two nations.
While both parties described the talks as positive, Israel had previously stated it would not discuss Lebanon’s demand for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict. This conflict began on March 2, when Hezbollah initiated fire in response to the US-Israeli killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
As Israel intensified its offensive against Hezbollah, issuing another forced displacement order for southern residents, Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah declared that the “option of negotiations with the enemy is wrong.”
During a news conference, Fadlallah accused the Lebanese government of “squandering Lebanon’s political and military strength.” He criticized the government for withdrawing its army from the south, thereby “leaving it vulnerable to occupation and giving the enemy free rein.”
He further asserted that the “current government has not lived up to the people’s expectations and has failed to grasp the resistance of the young fighters,” condemning Beirut for its “concessions” and for “inciting internal division” within the nation.
Fadlallah added that the **Iran-aligned group seeks a comprehensive ceasefire**, rather than a return to the near-daily Israeli strikes and assassinations that followed the November 2024 ceasefire agreement.
Israel Threatens to ‘Overwhelm’ Bint Jbeil
Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military had issued an evacuation order for residents in the southern region. The NNA reported that attacks also struck the southern towns of Baraachit, Souaneh, Babliyeh, Seddiqine, Nabatieh El Faouqa, and areas situated along the Litani River.
The outskirts of Bint Jbeil, a town severely impacted by a recent Israeli operation that reportedly killed at least 100 Hezbollah fighters, also experienced shelling, according to the NNA.
In a video address released late Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces were poised to “**overwhelm Bint Jbeil**” and would persist with strikes against Hezbollah. He further indicated that the Israeli military would reinforce what he termed a “security zone” in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have advanced, and would push further eastward.
Regarding the recent talks with Lebanon, Netanyahu affirmed that the primary objective was to “dismantle” Hezbollah. He outlined two central goals: “first, the dismantling of Hezbollah; second, a sustainable peace… achieved through strength.”
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