Israeli airstrikes killed at least 24 people in southern Lebanon in the past two days while Hezbollah said it had clashed with Israeli forces trying to advance into several southern towns, an escalation that could strain the fragile ceasefire agreement between the two sides.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said on May 19 that Israeli airstrikes killed 19 people in the south, including women and children, and wounded 29 others.
The next day, an Israeli strike on the town of Dweir killed five people and wounded two others, Lebanon’s National News Agency said, adding that warplanes targeted the town’s Baraka neighborhood, completely destroying several homes.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah said in a statement on Telegram that its fighters had clashed with an Israeli force that tried to advance toward Hadatha’s town square, using medium-caliber weapons and rockets. The group said it destroyed a Merkava tank and wounded soldiers in the attacking force. Other reports said Hezbollah also targeted additional tanks, a newly established position, an Iron Dome launcher, and groups of soldiers and vehicles in several southern towns, as well as the settlement of Misgav Am.
The Israeli occupation army announced that Maj. Itamar Sapir, a deputy company commander in the 551st Reserve Brigade, was killed during fighting in southern Lebanon, bringing Israeli military deaths to 21 since the start of the latest war with Hezbollah. Israeli news site Walla also said that the commander of the 401st Armored Brigade and several soldiers from the brigade were wounded in a suicide drone attack that targeted a building where Israeli forces had taken cover in southern Lebanon, adding that the Israeli occupation army evacuated the wounded by helicopter.
The fighting came as Israel expanded operations on the ground, with residents of 12 towns in southern Lebanon having been warned to evacuate amid continuing airstrikes and artillery shelling. Media outlets also reported that Israeli forces carried out a large-scale demolition operation between Blida and Mays al-Jabal, and arrested three people at the Mari-Halta intersection after setting up a field checkpoint in the area.
According to the latest update from Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, issued Tuesday, May 19, the cumulative death toll from Israeli aggression on Lebanon since March 2, 2026, has risen to 3,042 people killed and 9,301 wounded.
