Israel Conducts Deadliest Post-Ceasefire Strikes on Southern Lebanon, Killing 11; Defense Minister Vows to Settle All Scores

Israeli airstrikes on August 15, 2026, targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon villages including Ansar and Deir al-Zahrani, killing at least 11 people—among them three children—and wounding 19, according to Lebanese health authorities and National News Agency reports. The strikes represent the deadliest escalation since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework took effect earlier in the year. Israeli officials described the operation as a response to a Hezbollah explosive drone attack near Ali al-Taher that wounded three IDF soldiers. The IDF stated it eliminated a senior Hezbollah Radwan Force commander, Ali Muhammad Fakhr al-Din (or Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan in some reports), in the Deir al-Zahrani strike. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office noted that Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by embedding military assets among civilians. Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X that “No score on any front will remain unsettled,” signaling potential for broader operations. Multiple independent outlets, including Reuters and Al Jazeera, corroborated the casualty figures and locations, highlighting risks to the fragile truce amid ongoing border tensions.