Rescue workers continued searching through collapsed buildings on Wednesday in the southern villages of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr and Al-Maashouq in Lebanon, a day after Israeli airstrikes killed at least 19 people, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
Bulldozers and emergency crews worked through piles of concrete and twisted metal in Tyre province, searching for bodies trapped beneath the rubble. Officials said the dead included four women and three children, while several others were injured.
In Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, a strike destroyed a residential home and damaged nearby vehicles, leaving personal belongings scattered across the debris. In Al-Maashouq, images showed heavy destruction inside a mosque and surrounding residential buildings.
The strikes come amid heightened tensions along the border following renewed clashes involving Hezbollah and Israeli forces, despite a US-brokered ceasefire extension announced just days earlier.
The ceasefire was reportedly extended by 45 days following renewed fighting between Hezbollah and the military of Israel along the southern border region.
The Israel Defense Forces said it had targeted more than 25 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon between Monday and Tuesday, describing the operations as efforts to prevent drone attacks on Israeli troops and border towns.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, has continued to reject calls from Lebanese authorities to disarm, maintaining its position despite growing diplomatic pressure.
The escalation has contributed to a worsening humanitarian situation, with more than one million people displaced across Lebanon since the conflict intensified. Many families are now sheltering in and around Beirut, including along coastal areas and roadside encampments.
Lebanese officials also reported that one Israeli soldier was killed in southern Lebanon on Tuesday amid ongoing cross-border exchanges.
As rescue operations continue, authorities warn that more victims may still be trapped under the rubble in affected villages, while tensions along the border remain fragile despite the ceasefire extension.
