Israeli Airstrike Kills 9 in Saksakiyeh as Military Says Hezbollah Used Building
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Israeli Airstrike Kills 9 in Saksakiyeh as Military Says Hezbollah Used Building
11 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Nine civilians from one displaced family were killed when an Israeli strike leveled a building in Saksakiyeh, southern Lebanon, including a woman in her 70s and a two-year-old girl.
Israel's military said it had targeted Hezbollah members operating from a building used for military purposes and posing an immediate threat, adding it was reviewing reports of harm to uninvolved civilians.
Residents and reporting from southern Lebanon indicate the 16 April ceasefire has largely collapsed, with Israeli strikes continuing day and night and evacuation warnings often followed quickly by attacks.
More than 2,800 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war began, according to the health ministry, including more than 400 after the truce took effect, while over 1 million people have been displaced.
Despite Hezbollah's domestic isolation and pressure from President Joseph Aoun to disarm it, many Shia residents in the south still say the group is their only protection against Israel.
How is Hezbollah rapidly rebuilding its arsenal and influence while under a full-scale Israeli assault?
As Lebanon offers historic peace talks, why is Israel's military digging in for a years-long occupation?
Lebanon Under Fire: Over 2,100 Killed and 1 Million Displaced Amid Israeli Airstrikes and Fragile Ceasefire (2024–2026)
Overview
On May 9, 2026, an Israeli airstrike hit Saksakiyeh, a town in southern Lebanon, causing significant casualties and further displacement. Many residents had stayed despite evacuation orders, and the town had become a refuge for families fleeing violence from the south. The strike killed at least one person, Jawad, and affected displaced families seeking shelter. This incident is part of a larger conflict that has led to over 2,100 deaths and more than one million people displaced in Lebanon, highlighting the severe human cost and ongoing instability in the region.