Israel kills at least 12 in renewed southern Lebanon strikes as ceasefire remains in name only

Israeli warplanes and drones struck multiple towns across southern Lebanon on Wednesday 10 June, killing at least 12 people, according to a Lebanese medical source cited by Reuters. Eight of those killed were in Tayr Dibba and four in Deir Qanun al-Nahr, the source said.

The Israeli military also issued evacuation warnings for three southern Lebanese towns on Wednesday, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported. Overnight strikes on Nabatieh, one of the south's largest cities and now largely deserted, were also reported by NNA.

Israeli occupation forces have continued strikes across southern Lebanon despite a succession of US-brokered ceasefire agreements, none of which has held. A ceasefire meant to have taken effect in April was never observed, and a new conditional truce announced after Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington last week was rejected by Hezbollah, with both sides continuing to exchange fire.

Hezbollah's position

Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said any demand for his fighters to leave southern Lebanon while under attack would amount to surrender. The group has insisted that any ceasefire must begin with a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and has continued military operations inside Lebanon even after halting strikes on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that the halt in fighting with Iran came after Israel struck the Iranian capital, and vowed to respond with force to any future attacks. He said explicitly that operations in Lebanon would continue.

Civilian toll and displacement

The strikes have hit residential areas, buildings and roads throughout the south. In an earlier wave of strikes on Friday 5 June, at least 12 people were killed as Israeli warplanes and drones hit several towns, Lebanon's NNA reported. Two people were killed in Habboush, including a doctor. Five people, including a paramedic, were killed in strikes in Zebdin in the Nabatieh area, Lebanon's L'Orient Today reported. Two Syrian teenagers were killed in a drone strike on a motorcycle in the village of Aaba, also in the Nabatieh area, the NNA said; their father was injured.

Israeli forces also seized a municipal councillor and a worker from the border town of Kfarshuba on Wednesday, the NNA reported. The Israeli military said it had identified two people who approached an area where its soldiers were operating and transferred them to Israeli territory for questioning.

Since the war resumed on 2 March 2026, Israeli strikes have killed at least 3,593 people and wounded 10,990 in Lebanon, according to figures reported as of 6 June. More than one million people — over 20 percent of Lebanon's population — have been displaced.

Regional stakes

Iran has said it will not agree to a ceasefire with the US and Israel unless there is one in Lebanon. Tehran suspended its military campaign against Israel last week but warned it would resume attacks if Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon continued. Israel struck Tyre on Monday 8 June — less than an hour after Iran announced its suspension — killing five people and wounding eight, including four paramedics, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. The strike hit close to a Lebanese Red Cross centre, the ministry said.

A US official told Al Jazeera that Washington supports Israel's right to self-defence and stands with the legitimate government of Lebanon, and that a further round of security and political talks was scheduled for the week of 22 June. The official added that Hezbollah must stop firing immediately and allow any agreement to take effect.

This is a developing story.