Israeli troops launched a nighttime incursion into a town in southern Lebanon, resulting in the death of a municipal employee, according to reports from Lebanon’s state media. The operation marks another escalation in the ongoing series of Israeli attacks across Lebanon, which have intensified in recent weeks. The incident took place in the town of Blida, where Israeli forces, supported by drones and light armored vehicles, entered the area under cover of darkness. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the troops stormed the town hall, where a municipal worker named Ibrahim Salameh had been sleeping. During the operation, Salameh was shot dead. In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed that its troops were carrying out an operation in Blida to dismantle what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure. However, it provided no evidence linking the municipal building to the Shia Muslim group, which is backed by Iran. Israeli officials claimed that the troops encountered a suspect inside the structure and opened fire after identifying what they called an immediate threat. It remains unclear whether Salameh was the intended target or was caught in the crossfire.
Israeli Raid Lebanon: Municipal Worker Killed in Overnight Operation in South
The Lebanese government reacted sharply to the Israeli raid. President Joseph Aoun ordered the commander of the Lebanese army to confront any future Israeli incursions into the south. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned both the killing and the raid, calling them a flagrant violation of Lebanese institutions and sovereignty. He vowed that Lebanon would continue to appeal to the United Nations and other ceasefire guarantors to ensure Israel halts its repeated violations and fully withdraws from Lebanese territory. Public anger erupted in the aftermath of the incident. Protests broke out early Thursday in Blida and nearby towns, where residents blocked roads with burning tires to denounce what they described as aggression and the government’s inability to protect its people. The Israeli raid in Lebanon came as part of a broader military campaign targeting individuals and facilities allegedly connected to Hezbollah. In recent days, Israel has intensified its strikes across southern Lebanon, claiming to hit Hezbollah positions and logistical hubs.
A separate Israeli operation was reported in the nearby village of Adaisseh overnight, where locals said troops demolished a religious ceremonial hall. Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes flew over several parts of southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, while drones hovered low over Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday morning. During a recent meeting of ceasefire monitors, US envoy Morgan Ortagus said Washington supported Lebanon’s commitment to bringing all weapons under state control by the end of the year. She added that the Lebanese army must now fully implement its national security plan. Under the ceasefire terms agreed last year, Israel was required to withdraw all troops from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah was to move its fighters north of the Litani River. Despite the agreement, both sides have accused each other of repeated violations, fueling fears that the fragile truce could collapse amid ongoing border tensions.
