More than 120 Israeli airstrikes struck southern and eastern Lebanon in one of the heaviest bombing days in weeks. Lebanese security sources reported strikes across multiple areas, including near Beaufort Castle and close to the Qaraoun Dam reservoir. Lebanese National News Agency reported at least 10 deaths, including women and children, from a strike in Burj al-Shamali. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces were operating with large units, capturing and controlling areas, and fortifying a security strip to protect northern communities. Sources reported Israeli ground operations expanded beyond the security zone, including past the Yellow Line buffer proposal. Iran said the United States violated a separate truce by striking southern Iran, further straining a ceasefire announced April 16 between Israel and Hezbollah.
"Israel pounded Lebanon with more than 120 airstrikes on Tuesday in one of the heaviest days of bombing in weeks, Lebanese security sources said. It came as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military was deepening its operations in the country. The bombing raids further frayed a ceasefire announced on April 16 that was meant to halt fighting between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and came as Iran said the US had violated a separate truce by striking southern Iran."
"Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Israeli strikes had hit across southern and eastern Lebanon on Tuesday. Lebanon's National News Agency said at least 10 people, including women and children, were killed in one strike on the town of Burj al-Shamali in southern Lebanon. Some strikes hit near the Beaufort Castle, a nearly 900-year-old fortress in southern Lebanon that Unesco has described as one of the best-preserved examples of medieval castles in the region."
"At least three strikes also hit near Lebanon's largest water reservoir at the Qaraoun Dam in east Lebanon, Lebanon's National News Agency said. In a statement on Tuesday, Netanyahu said the Israeli military "is operating with large forces in the field and capturing and controlling areas". "We are fortifying the security strip to protect the northern communities," he said in a reference to a self-declared security zone occupied by Israeli troops several kilometres inside southern Lebanon."
"Two sources said on Tuesday that the Israeli military had expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon past the security zone but gave no further details on the extent of the advance beyond the so-called Yellow Line. That line, separate from the UN-demarcated "Blue Line" marking the frontier between Lebanon and Israel after Israel's withdrawal in 2000, forms part of a proposed buffer zone extending 5km to 10km into southern Lebanon. Israel's military had ordered residents not to return"
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