Israeli Strikes Kill Nine Across Lebanon as Beirut Boundary Hit During Escalating Conflict]

Israeli Strikes Kill Nine Across Lebanon as Beirut Boundary Hit During Escalating Conflict]

Israel has escalated its military operations across Lebanon, including strikes near the capital Beirut, killing at least nine people and injuring others, as US-mediated negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese officials continue in Washington.

The Israeli attacks on Wednesday hit at least 10 vehicles, including an ambulance targeted in one incident and another strike occurring several kilometers south of Beirut, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health via state media.

Victims included two medics in the municipality of Chehour and six others near the coastal city of Tyre, per Lebanon’s Health Ministry. A Lebanese soldier was killed while traveling on a southern road, the Lebanese army reported.

An attack in the Khaldeh area on Beirut’s southern outskirts injured two people, according to Lebanese security sources cited by Reuters.

“What we’ve been seeing over the past hours has been an escalation,” said Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem from Beirut. “This is taking us back to square one.”

Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from the Lebanese capital, noted that the Israeli strike near Beirut raised concerns that “there is no front line in this ongoing conflict.”

“Lebanon has been insisting that Israel abide by a full ceasefire, something the Israeli government is refusing to accept,” Khodr reported.

The attacks follow days after U.S. President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed to canceling any planned attacks on Beirut, though Israel’s office later stated the country reserves the right to strike if Hezbollah continues attacks.

Trump told the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast he was “a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon.”

Netanyahu insisted Israel must “disarm Hezbollah” and “demilitarize Lebanon” to achieve peace.

While Israel and Lebanon agreed to a nominal ceasefire in mid-April, both sides continue violating the truce, with Israel breaking it on a near-daily basis according to mutual accusations.

The conflict complicates U.S. negotiations with Iran, which demands a full Lebanon ceasefire as part of any deal.

Hezbollah launched rockets at Israeli soldiers in the north on Wednesday, the group announced. The Israeli military said it downed a “hostile aircraft” and two projectiles entering Israeli territory, with Ambassador Michael Leiter stating this prevented “what could have been a deadly attack on civilians, including children.”

Israeli and Lebanese negotiators began a second day of direct talks in Washington, now in their fourth round.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope for a joint statement and action plan on Lebanon’s security, “independent from Hezbollah.”

Al Jazeera’s Hashem, citing Beirut political sources, said the next 24 hours will be “very crucial” with mediation also occurring in Qatar.

“There are attempts to arrive at a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon, which everyone here would love to see,” Hashem said.

Since March 2, when Israel escalated attacks after the U.S. Iran conflict began, Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports 3,516 deaths and 10,674 injuries.

Israeli forces have pushed north of the Litani River while displacing over one million people, according to Lebanon.

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