The latest flare-up between Israel and Lebanon has left a reported Hamas official dead after an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah says it launched an "advanced missile" toward a Palmachim air base near Tel Aviv. Lebanese authorities put the death toll at 850 and say over 830,000 people have been displaced. Heavy rain has worsened conditions for many of the displaced, and diplomatic efforts to open direct talks remain unclear.
Hamas Official Reportedly Killed in Lebanon Strike as Hezbollah Says It Fired Missile Near Tel Aviv
An Israeli airstrike damaged the third storey on an apartment building in Lebanon's city of Sion, reportedly killing one person (MAHMOUD ZAYYAT)(MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP/AFP)
A Hamas source told AFP that an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Sunday reportedly killed a Hamas official, identified by the source as Wissam Taha, while Hezbollah said it fired an "advanced missile" at an Israeli air base near Tel Aviv.
Casualties and Damage
Lebanese authorities say the death toll from Israeli strikes has risen to 850, and more than 830,000 people have registered as displaced. The state-run National News Agency reported an Israeli strike on an apartment in a northern district of the coastal city of Sidon that killed one person and sparked a fire. In the village of Al-Qatrani, southeast of Sidon, Lebanon's health ministry said three people were killed overnight in another strike.
On-the-Ground Humanitarian Crisis
Heavy rain on Sunday added to the misery of the displaced, many of whom are sleeping in tents or outdoors near Beirut's seafront. Displaced coffee-shop owner Nader, 42, said he had rebuilt his home after it was destroyed in the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah conflict but feared it had been hit again: "Here we have nothing and the situation is very bad with the heavy rains and wind — it's very cold, lots of babies are sick and we can't protect them," he told AFP.
Military Actions
Hezbollah said it carried out a series of attacks on Israeli sites and forces in south Lebanon, including what it described as an operation targeting Palmachim air base, roughly 100 kilometres from the border, using an "advanced missile." The Israeli military said it continued striking infrastructure used by Hezbollah across Lebanon and reported hitting several Hezbollah launch sites in Al-Qatrani and destroying command centres linked to Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force in Beirut.
Diplomatic Developments
Diplomatic efforts remain uncertain. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has proposed direct negotiations with Israel, and a Lebanese official told AFP that Beirut was preparing a delegation to engage in talks, though no agenda, timing or venue had been decided. Israel said it was not planning direct talks to halt the fighting. French President Emmanuel Macron said Lebanon was willing to enter direct talks and offered to host negotiations in Paris, urging steps to avoid a descent into chaos.
Note on reporting: A number of accounts describe the wider escalation as linked to strikes that Iran has blamed on the US and Israel; reporting contains differing attributions and claims by all parties involved.
An AFP correspondent and photographers documented damage in Sidon and south Beirut, witnessing flattened buildings, debris-strewn streets and ongoing smoke after repeated strikes. Rescue teams worked at the scene of the apartment strike as residents gathered in the street carrying belongings.
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