Eleven civilians were killed on Tuesday in an Israeli air strike on the village of al-Dhahira in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security officials. The strike, which hit a residential building, brought the civilian death toll in Lebanon over the past week to 37, as cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah intensified. The British government issued a statement calling for an immediate de-escalation, urging both sides to exercise restraint and return to the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
The Foreign Office said it was 'deeply concerned' by the rising number of civilian casualties and the prospect of a wider regional conflict. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hezbollah command centre, but did not provide evidence. Hezbollah denied operating from the building.
The incident came amid a broader escalation of hostilities along the Blue Line, with Hezbollah launching dozens of rockets into northern Israel over the weekend. Israeli defence officials said they were preparing for a prolonged campaign. Diplomats in Beirut warned that the situation risked spiralling out of control, as international efforts to broker a ceasefire remained stalled.
