Israeli drone strikes on Wednesday killed 12 people in Lebanon, including a mother and her two children, as violence continues to escalate despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreed less than one month ago. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that seven vehicles were struck across multiple locations, with three attacks occurring on the main highway just south of Beirut.
The strikes targeted both major transportation routes and residential areas. Two drone attacks hit a highway linking Beirut with the southern port city of Sidon, while a third struck the town of Saadiyat near the busy freeway, according to the state-run National News Agency. These three attacks alone killed eight people in total, including the woman and her children. A fourth strike near the northern entrance of Sidon left one person dead and another wounded. Three additional drone strikes on vehicles deeper in southern Lebanon killed three more people.
Civilian Infrastructure Under Fire
An Associated Press photographer documented the bodies of three people killed in two of the strikes near the coastal towns of Barja and Jiyeh. The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas in southern Lebanon, and hours earlier had told residents of six southern villages to evacuate. The attacks come as both sides continue exchanging fire despite the April 17 ceasefire, with Hezbollah claiming it launched additional attacks on Israel and using drones in its operations against Israeli forces.
UN Peacekeepers at Risk
The United Nations peacekeeping force deployed in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said Wednesday it was increasingly concerned about fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli soldiers near its positions, putting peacekeepers at risk with explosions of drones in and around U.N. bases. UNIFIL reported that a presumed Hezbollah drone detonated inside its headquarters in the coastal town of Naqoura on Tuesday, following earlier presumed Hezbollah drone detonations on Monday and Tuesday. No one was injured, but some buildings were damaged.
The United Nations has accused Hezbollah of drone strikes near its peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon. Secretary-General António Guterres' message to both sides is that they must observe the ceasefire and stop all attacks, U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold another round of direct talks in Washington on Thursday as the Trump administration pushes for a breakthrough between the two neighbors that have been in a state of war since Israel was created in 1948. The latest Israel-Hezbollah war started less than three months ago on March 2, when the Lebanese militant group fired rockets into northern Israel two days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran.
The Health Ministry said Wednesday that since the war began, 2,896 people have been killed and 8,824 wounded.
Why This Matters:
The deaths of civilians, including children, underscore the human cost of ongoing military operations despite international ceasefire agreements. With nearly 3,000 people killed and almost 9,000 wounded since the conflict began less than three months ago, the violence demonstrates the fragility of diplomatic efforts and the urgent need for enforceable peace mechanisms. The targeting of vehicles on civilian highways and the risk to U.N. peacekeepers highlight how military escalation threatens both ordinary residents and international efforts to maintain stability. As direct talks resume in Washington, the mounting civilian casualties and infrastructure damage reflect the pressing need for stronger multilateral frameworks to protect vulnerable populations and ensure both parties honor ceasefire commitments that could prevent further loss of life.