An Israeli airstrike on Wednesday killed the mayor of Nabatiyeh, Ahmad Kahil, in southern Lebanon, during an attack on the city’s municipality building, local authorities had confirmed. Five others were also killed in the strike, which Nabatiyeh governor Howaida Turk called a “massacre.” The attack took place amidst ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, targeting areas controlled by Hezbollah and its ally Amal.
“The Israeli raid on two buildings, the Nabatiyeh municipality and the union of municipalities, killed five people in an initial count,” the Lebanon health ministry said, adding that rescuers were searching for survivors under the rubble.
The Israeli military said it hit dozens of Hezbollah targets in the Nabatieh area and took down what it described as “underground infrastructure”, as reported by AFP news agency.
The strikes come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon, insisting that Hezbollah forces must be pushed back from Israel’s northern border. These operations form part of a broader Israeli offensive that has intensified in recent weeks, with Israel also conducting airstrikes in Beirut and eastern Lebanon. Despite criticism from the US regarding the bombing of Beirut, Netanyahu has said that no ceasefire will occur without securing a buffer zone free from Hezbollah fighters.