Israeli warplanes and drones carried out a wide wave of strikes across southern Lebanon overnight and into Tuesday, hitting multiple towns in the Tyre, Nabatiyeh, Marjayoun, Jezzine and Bint Jbeil districts, as renewed bombardment and artillery fire left several casualties and further heightened tensions in southern Lebanon.

The escalation came shortly after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for 12 towns and villages in southern Lebanon ahead of planned airstrikes targeting what it described as Hezbollah positions.

Residents of Toura, Nabatiyeh al-Tahta, Habboush, al-Bazouriyah, Tayr Debba, Kfar Houneh, Ain Qana, Libbaya, Jibshit, al-Shaabiyeh, Burj al-Shamali and Houmine al-Faouqa were instructed to evacuate at least one kilometer from their homes.

“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” Israeli military spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee said in a warning issued ahead of the strikes.

Overnight bombardment across the south

Following the warning, Israeli aircraft launched a series of strikes across southern Lebanon after what residents described as a night of heavy bombardment.

At dawn, warplanes struck a site in the Maashouk area near Al-Wahda University on the outskirts of Tyre, a location that had previously been warned by the Israeli military.

Further strikes continued into the morning, with air raids reported on the town of al-Shaabiyeh and the Rihan Heights in the Jezzine district.

Israeli artillery also shelled areas in Arid Dbineh in Marjayoun district and Kfar Sir in Nabatiyeh district.

Drone strikes and civilian casualties

In one of the most serious incidents reported, an Israeli drone fired two missiles at a Rapid vehicle belonging to the municipality of Harouf.

Preliminary reports said two people were wounded, including a municipal council member, while a second victim was reported in critical condition. The two men were said to have been distributing bread to residents at the time of the strike.

Elsewhere, an Israeli strike hit a house in the town of Mlita, while a separate drone attack targeted a motorcycle in Frun, killing one person according to local reports.

Overnight, additional Israeli airstrikes hit Kafra, the outskirts of Kfardounine toward Deir Kifa, and a house on the main road in Kafra in the Bint Jbeil district.

Phosphorus shells and farming areas targeted

Separately, Israeli forces fired three incendiary phosphorus shells at farmers harvesting watermelons near the Mansouri junction in the Tyre district.

Lebanon's National News Agency reported that the shells landed close to the farmers, who fled the area. No injuries were reported.

An airstrike on the town of Kfarsir killed four people and wounded two others. The dead were identified as Ali Nazih Qumayha, his mother Safia Badr al-Din, his aunt Nazihah Hamza Qumayha, and Ahmad Siblini. The wounded included Saham Hamza Qumayha and her brother Nazih Hamza Qumayha, the owner of the house.

Checkpoint, arrests and ongoing military activity

The National News Agency reported that Israeli forces established a checkpoint at the Marjayoun–Halta junction on the Khreibe road near Kfar Hammam–Kfar Shuba, close to shops previously struck in earlier attacks. Troops stopped civilians and passersby at the site.

He added that three Lebanese citizens were arrested and taken to an undisclosed location, while mobile phones belonging to several people in the area were confiscated. The detainees were identified as Ali Atieh, Shawqi Atieh and Ahmed Atieh, all from the village of Halta.

On Tuesday afternoon, further airstrikes were reported on Maarka, Hanawieh, Zawtar al-Sharqiya and the eastern neighborhood of Kfar Reman.

Israeli warplanes also struck Debbin, where aircraft detonated an unexploded missile from an earlier raid, alongside a heavy strike on the town’s Al-Qalaa district.

Separately, the Israeli military said it intercepted a Hezbollah drone launched from Lebanon, triggering sirens in several border communities. It said no injuries were reported.

The military also said it struck more than 25 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon over the past day, including weapons depots, command centers, rocket launchers and other infrastructure, as well as operatives in the Cristofani Ridge area north of Mount Hermon.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said one of its drones had struck Israeli territory near the border, with Israeli media reporting two light injuries.