BEIRUT, April 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people were killed and 12 others injured in a series of Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon overnight Tuesday to Wednesday, according to Lebanon's official National News Agency.
A strike on a home in the town of Jbaa killed four members of the same family. In the Qadmous area, another strike left four dead and three wounded.
Five were killed in a dawn airstrike on the town of Ansariyeh, while two others were killed and one injured in a strike on the town of Abbasiyeh. In the coastal city of Tyre, a strike on a vehicle killed a woman and wounded eight.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it struck Israeli soldiers and settlements along the Lebanon-Israel border with drones and rockets. It also launched attack drones at Israeli military positions in the occupied Golan Heights.
The group said the attacks were in response to Israeli ceasefire violations and ongoing strikes on southern Lebanon, vowing to continue its response until they stop.
Also on Wednesday, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Barham Salih urged increased international support for Lebanon, warning of escalating mass displacement and humanitarian needs.
Salih said the UN launched an urgent 308-million-U.S. dollar appeal, and UNHCR requested 61 million dollars. He said some funds have been secured and distributed, with efforts underway to mobilize more.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military said it has struck over 200 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the past 24 hours.
Cross-border fighting has continued along the Lebanon-Israel border since March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire agreed on Nov. 27, 2024, triggering intensified Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon.
On Tuesday, Israel and Lebanon held talks in Washington, where they laid out different expectations on a peace deal, according to a U.S. State Department statement. Israel insisted on Hezbollah's disarmament, while Lebanon called for a ceasefire and measures to ease the humanitarian crisis. All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a future time. ■
