Israeli strikes intensify in Lebanon; UN to probe alleged violations

At least 16 people were killed in a series of Israeli air strikes across southern Lebanon on Wednesday, as the conflict linked to the wider Iran-Israel confrontation continued to escalate.

According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA), nine people were killed in an air strike on Tayr Debba, while three others died in Deir Qanoun en-Nahr. At least one person was killed in the city of Tyre.

Later in the day, an Israeli warplane struck the village of Deir ez-Zahrani, targeting a mosque and a clinic. The attack killed at least three people, NNA reported.

While Israel has maintained that residents were given sufficient warning to evacuate targeted areas, reports from the ground challenge that narrative. Al Jazeera reported that many civilians were unable to leave safely despite Israeli warnings.

Amid growing international concern, United Nations high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk announced that an investigative team would be deployed to Lebanon next week to assess potential violations of international law by all parties involved.

"It’s the first time that we are sending this assessment mission, and the idea is indeed to look at violations by all parties – violations of international law, violations of international human rights law, and to document this," Turk said.

The move follows efforts by the Lebanese government to document alleged war crimes. In May, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed the importance of compiling evidence and submitting it to the United Nations. Information minister Paul Morcos later said Beirut and the UN had agreed on a future visit by Turk to support the investigations.

Lebanon was drawn into the US-Israel war on Iran in March after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel, citing near-daily Israeli strikes in Lebanon and the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei. The Iran-backed group has since rejected a proposed conditional ceasefire that required a complete halt to Hezbollah attacks without guaranteeing an end to Israeli strikes.

Hezbollah fighters continue to target Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon, including through rocket and drone attacks reported on Wednesday.

According to Lebanon's health ministry, Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,696 people and injured 11,413 others since 2 March. Israel says 29 soldiers and one civilian contractor have been killed in Lebanon during the same period.

As diplomatic efforts struggle to gain traction, Tehran insists that Lebanon must be included in any agreement aimed at ending the US-Israel war on Iran. However, hopes of a breakthrough dimmed further after fresh exchanges of fire between Iran and the United States.

Reflecting growing humanitarian concerns, the Association of Christian Border Villages in southern Lebanon has urged the government to "immediately open safe humanitarian and medical corridors" to allow civilians, aid workers and emergency teams to reach isolated communities caught in the fighting.