Israeli strikes kill 14 in Lebanon, residents told to leave border towns

photo 2026 04 27T094442.904

2 min readApr 27, 2026 10:35 AM IST

Israel launched a missile salvo targeting Lebanon on Sunday (Apr 26), killing 14 people and wounding 37 others.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the Israeli army issued a warning for residents to evacuate seven towns beyond the “buffer zone” that it had occupied before the ceasefire came into effect, which failed to put the hostilities on hold.

The deceased included two children and two women, news agency Reuters cited the health ministry as saying. Israel said that one of its soldiers was also killed as tensions escalated, putting further strain on a fragile ceasefire amid ongoing cross-border hostilities.

‘Hezbollah violating ceasefire,’ says IDF

A spokesperson for the Israeli military released a statement on X, accusing the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire, and warning that it would respond with force. He further urged residents in at least seven towns beyond a previously held “buffer zone” to leave immediately and move north and west.

The villages include Mefdon, Shukin, Yahmar, Arnoun, Zoter Sharqiya, Zoter Gharbiya and Kafr Tibnit

The Israeli troops have occupied the towns  ⁠north of the Litani River and the zone in southern Lebanon and said that they had hit Hezbollah fighters, rocket launchers and a weapons depot.

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“From our perspective, what obliges us is the ​security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, the security of our communities,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

“We act vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and also, by the way, with Lebanon.”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said that it will continue its attacks on Israeli troops in Lebanon and towns in northern Israel, as long as the country goes ahead with its “ceasefire violations.”

The militant group further said that it would not wait for diplomacy that has “proven ineffective” or rely on Lebanese authorities that had “failed to ‌protect ⁠the country.”

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