Israeli airstrikes kill 12, including a mother and two children, as UN warns of rising risks to peacekeepers.
Israeli drone strikes on seven vehicles across Lebanon have killed at least 12 people, including a woman and her two children, underscoring how fragile the US‑brokered ceasefire remains ahead of new talks in Washington.
Civilian Deaths On Highway And In Towns
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday hit seven vehicles, killing 12 people. Two drone attacks struck the main highway linking Beirut and the southern port city of Sidon and a third hit nearby Saadiyat, together killing eight people, including a mother and her two children. A fourth strike near Sidon’s northern entrance left one dead and one wounded, while three further hits on cars deeper in southern Lebanon killed three more people.
Israeli Military Claims And Continuing Exchanges
The Israeli army said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in several parts of southern Lebanon, just hours after ordering residents of six southern villages to evacuate. In response, Hezbollah claimed additional attacks on Israel, and clashes have continued despite a US‑brokered ceasefire that took effect on April 17. Both sides have used drones and artillery as the conflict, which began March 2 after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel following US‑Israeli strikes on Iran, grinds on.
UN Concerns Over Drone Blasts Near Peacekeepers
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) warned it is “increasingly concerned” about fighting near its positions, saying presumed Hezbollah drones detonated inside and around its bases, putting peacekeepers at risk. UNIFIL reported that a suspected Hezbollah drone exploded inside its Naqoura headquarters on Tuesday, following similar blasts on Monday and earlier Tuesday, causing building damage but no injuries.
Ceasefire Under Pressure And Washington Talks
UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres, through his deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, urged both sides to respect the ceasefire and halt all attacks, amid rising fears that spiralling drone and air strikes could trigger a broader escalation. Lebanon and Israel are due to hold another round of talks in Washington on Thursday, as the Trump administration seeks a breakthrough between neighbours that have technically been at war since Israel’s creation in 1948.
Growing Human Toll In Lebanon
The Lebanese Health Ministry said that since this latest phase of the Israel–Hezbollah war began on March 2, at least 2,896 people have been killed and 8,824 wounded. An Associated Press photographer at two of Wednesday’s strike sites near Barja and Jiyeh saw three bodies pulled from wrecked vehicles, highlighting the mounting toll on civilians along Lebanon’s coastal corridor and in its south.
The latest highway strikes, civilian deaths and drone blasts around UN bases reveal how close Lebanon and Israel remain to open escalation, despite paper ceasefires and diplomatic efforts. For Indonesians and Singaporeans watching from afar, the fighting underscores how unresolved regional conflicts can quickly destabilise key energy routes, test international law and magnify humanitarian suffering, reinforcing the need for credible de‑escalation and protection of civilians and peacekeepers alike.
Sources: Asia One (2026) , Al Jazeera (2026)
Keywords: Highway Strikes South Of Beirut, Saadiyat And Sidon Attacks, Hezbollah Drones, UNIFIL Naqoura, US Brokered Ceasefire
