BEIRUT: An Israeli air strike on a residential area in the southern Lebanese village of Kharbet Selm resulted in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to nine others, according to Lebanese military officials.

The deceased were members of the same family, and the injured, including children and the elderly, were taken to Tebnin Governmental Hospital for treatment. Civil Defence teams, with heavy machinery and ambulances, were deployed to clear debris and search for any individuals still unaccounted for.

Israel conducted on Saturday 15 airstrikes across nine towns and villages in southern Lebanon and launched 55 artillery shells targeting 14 locations, leading to the destruction of eight houses and damage to 28 others, Xinhua news agency reported.

In retaliation, Hezbollah said that it had carried out attacks on multiple Israeli military sites, including Al-Malikiyah, Zebdine, Al-Ramtha, Hunin, and Al-Baghdadi.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since October 8, 2023, after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 the same year prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 348 people on the Lebanese side, including 231 Hezbollah members and 69 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources.