BEIRUT

At least one Lebanese woman was killed and five others were injured on Saturday when several towns in southern Lebanon were targeted by Israeli airstrikes following the launch of rockets from Lebanon toward northern Israel.

The Lebanese National News Agency NNA reported that an Israeli airstrike on the town of Toul in southern Lebanon resulted in one fatality and three injuries.

The Lebanese Health Ministry also reported that two people were wounded in the town of Kfar Kila due to Israeli shelling.

NNA confirmed that the northwestern area of the town of Yahmour al-Shakif in the Nabatieh region was hit by intermittent Israeli artillery fire.

The strikes also targeted the outskirts of the towns of Arnoun and Kfar Tibnit.

The Israeli military fired artillery shells at the town of Khiam, while a rocket hit the town of Houla, NNA added.

Israeli forces also launched machine gun fire toward areas along the border, including Houla, Markaba, and Kfar Kila.

Shortly before the attacks, the Israeli army announced that it had carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah-linked targets in southern Lebanon but did not provide further details.

Meanwhile, Andrea Tenenti, the official spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), expressed deep concern over the potential escalation of violence.

In a statement, he urged all parties to “avoid jeopardizing the progress made, especially when civilian lives and the fragile stability observed in recent months are at risk,” warning that “any further escalation of this volatile situation could have serious consequences for the region.”

Tenenti emphasized that the situation “remains extremely fragile” and called on both sides “to uphold their commitments.” He confirmed that “UNIFIL peacekeepers remain in all positions.”

This escalation came after the Israeli military vowed to respond “forcefully” to rocket fire from Lebanon directed at northern Israel earlier on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Israel's military claimed it had intercepted three rockets, which it said had been fired from Lebanon toward the Israeli settlement of Metula in northern Israel.

The rocket fire from Lebanon marks the first such incident since the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect.

A fragile ceasefire had also been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities reported nearly 1,100 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, which killed at least 85 people and injured more than 280.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.