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An Israeli airstrike on Wednesday destroyed the municipal headquarters of Nabatieh, a major town in southern Lebanon, killing 16 people, including the town’s mayor. This marks the most significant attack on an official Lebanese government building since Israel’s aerial campaign began. More than 50 others were wounded in the attack. Lebanese officials condemned the strike, with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stating that Israel intentionally targeted a meeting of the municipal council, which was discussing relief efforts for those displaced by Israel’s offensive. The attack has raised concerns that Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah is now also targeting the Lebanese state itself, a first since fighting between Israel and the Lebanese Shia militia broke out a year ago. Members of the provincial capital’s crisis committee were meeting at the time, Howaida Turk, the governor of Nabatieh province was quoted as saying by The Guardian . Meanwhile, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that one of its watchtowers near Kfar Kela in southern Lebanon was hit by Israeli tank fire, damaging the tower and destroying two cameras. Israel did not immediately respond to UNIFIL’s statement, though it has previously urged the relocation of UN peacekeepers for their safety. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, during a visit to northern Israel, reiterated that the assault on Hezbollah would not be paused for negotiations. He noted that Hezbollah was in “great distress” and said negotiations would only take place “under fire.” Israel’s campaign in Lebanon, launched in response to cross-border attacks from Hezbollah in support of Palestinian militants in Gaza, has also targeted Hezbollah’s leadership and pushed into southern Lebanese towns to allow Israeli citizens in northern Israel to return home. The strike on Nabatieh follows Israel’s call for an evacuation of the city on 3 October, which Mayor Ahmed Kahil had previously refused. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller acknowledged the situation, stating that the US supports limited strikes to degrade Hezbollah’s infrastructure but emphasised that civilian homes should not be targeted. The Israeli military reported hitting dozens of Hezbollah targets in Nabatieh, as well as destroying a tunnel network used by Hezbollah’s elite forces in a town near the Israeli border. In a separate incident, Israeli warplanes resumed strikes on southern Beirut suburbs for the first time in a week, targeting what they claimed was an underground Hezbollah weapons stockpile. Israel has issued evacuation warnings ahead of these strikes, though they have still resulted in civilian casualties. Lebanese authorities have reported that over 2,350 people have been killed and 10,906 wounded in Israeli operations over the past year, with more than 1.2 million displaced. Meanwhile, around 50 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have died during the same period. Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati expressed scepticism over diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire, questioning what would stop Israel from continuing its attacks. Despite tensions with UNIFIL, Israel took a more conciliatory stance on Wednesday, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz acknowledging the importance of the peacekeeping mission and its role after the conflict ends. However, European countries involved in the mission, including Spain, France, and Italy, have reaffirmed the necessity of UNIFIL’s continued presence, with French and Spanish defence officials emphasising that only the United Nations can decide the mission’s fate. (With inputs from Reuters) None
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