Tensions Escalate: Israeli Airstrikes Target Hezbollah in Lebanon

In a pronounced escalation, Israel's air force conducted robust airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Friday. The Israeli military asserted that its operation focused on demolishing underground Hezbollah installations.

However, the conflict took a tragic turn when an apartment building in Nabatieh was struck, resulting in one fatality and injuries to eleven others, according to Lebanon's state news service. While Israel's army denied targeting civilians, blaming Hezbollah for placing armaments in residential locales, Lebanese officials rebuked the assault, labeling it a ceasefire violation.

Lebanon's president and prime minister decried the airstrikes, emphasizing their breach of the US-brokered ceasefire deal which ended the Israel-Hezbollah war. The incident underscores the simmering tension and the delicate balance of peace in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)