13 killed in Israeli airstrikes across south Lebanon

This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Tyre shows smoke rising from an Israeli controlled explosion in the village of Chamaa on May 1, 2026.

At least 13 people were killed and several others injured in Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Friday, according to the country’s health ministry, as hostilities continued despite a ceasefire.

Eight people, including a child and two women, were killed in strikes on the town of Habboush. The attack came shortly after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for the area, urging residents to move to open spaces at least one kilometre away. Twenty-one others were reported injured in the same incident.

In separate strikes, four people were killed in Zrariyeh, including two women, while another attack in Ain Baal left one person dead and seven others wounded.

Witnesses said thick smoke was seen rising over Habboush following the air raids. Local reports indicated that the strikes began less than an hour after the evacuation warning was issued.

The Israeli military said it would act “forcefully” against Hezbollah, accusing the Iran-backed group of violating the ceasefire agreement. In response, Hezbollah claimed it had carried out a series of attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon.

Despite a ceasefire reached on April 17 aimed at halting weeks of fighting, Israeli strikes have continued. The agreement allows Israel to act against what it describes as imminent or ongoing threats.

Additional reports indicated Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling in several locations across southern Lebanon, including areas near the coastal city of Tyre. Israeli forces were also reported to be operating within a buffer zone extending roughly 10 kilometres inside Lebanese territory, carrying out demolitions of buildings and infrastructure.

According to officials, more than 2,600 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since early March, including emergency responders and paramedics. Aid workers warned that rescue operations have become increasingly dangerous, with some responders killed while on duty.