Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including two women, as reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry on Sunday. Israel carried out these strikes in response to alleged Hezbollah drone attacks within areas occupied by Israeli forces.

Despite a ceasefire brokered by the United States with Hezbollah in June, the Israeli military continues to operate in a designated security zone in southern Lebanon. The Health Ministry of Lebanon confirmed that two men were killed in a town at the edge of the Israeli-occupied zone, while the two women lost their lives in Arab Salim, located north of the occupied area.

Prior to the strike in Arab Salim, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for nearby areas, citing the building’s use by Hezbollah. This strike resulted in injuries to six individuals, including two girls. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office denounced the strikes, labeling them as a “dangerous escalation” that targeted civilian institutions and health facilities, including a hospital and a Finance Ministry building.

President Aoun held Israel accountable for the escalation and called on the United States and the international community to intervene and hold the perpetrators responsible. The Israeli military stated that their targets included alleged Hezbollah weapons storage facilities and a command center within a building previously used as a hospital. They claimed to have used precision munitions and aerial surveillance to minimize civilian casualties.

The evacuation warning issued on Sunday marked only the second since the ceasefire announcement in June. The first evacuation order came on August 5 for residents of Mansouri, near Tyre. In a previous incident, four individuals were killed and 23 were injured in southern Lebanon due to Israeli strikes that occurred without prior evacuation warnings.

Hezbollah accused Israel of escalating tensions to pressure the Lebanese government, which has been engaged in discussions with Israel under U.S. mediation, a move rejected by the Iran-backed group. The conflict has resulted in over 4,300 deaths from Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon since March 2, following Hezbollah’s attack on Israel in support of Iran.