Israeli airstrikes kill more Hezbollah leaders as Lebanese health officials report dozens killed

Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon dealt the Hezbollah militant group a string of deadly blows to its command structure, while Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that dozens of people were killed in the strikes on Sunday.

Hezbollah confirmed Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of the militant group's Central Council, was killed on Saturday, making him the seventh senior Hezbollah leader slain in Israeli strikes in a little over a week — including the killing of its overall leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

They include founding members who had evaded death or detention for decades.

Hezbollah had earlier confirmed that Ali Karaki, another senior commander, died in Friday's strike that killed Nasrallah.

Israel says at least 20 other Hezbollah militants were killed in the strike, including two close associates of Nasrallah, one of whom was in charge of his security detail.

Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles and drones into northern Israel after Hamas's Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the war there. Hezbollah and Hamas are allies that consider themselves part of an Iran-backed Axis of Resistance against Israel.

Israel has responded with waves of airstrikes, and the conflict has steadily ratcheted up to the brink of all-out war, raising fears of a region-wide conflagration. The strikes have killed more than 1,030 people in less than two weeks — including 156 women and 87 children, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.

Additionally, hundreds of thousands of people have been driven from their homes. Lebanon estimates around 250,000 are in shelters, with three to four times as many staying with friends or relatives, or camping out on the streets, Environment Minister Nasser Yassin said.

Israel said it is determined to return some 60,000 of its citizens to communities in the north that were evacuated nearly a year ago. Hezbollah has said it will only halt its rocket fire if there is a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza that began Oct. 7. A ceasefire has proven elusive despite months of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes and drones carried out deadly strikes across Lebanon on Sunday. The Lebanese health ministry said two consecutive strikes near the southern city of Sidon, about 45 kilometres south of Beirut, killed at least 24 people. Separately, Israeli strikes in the northern province of Baalbek Hermel, 21 people were killed and at least 47 injured.

The Israeli military said it carried out another targeted strike on Beirut on Sunday, but did not immediately provide details.

Lebanese media reported dozens of strikes in the central, eastern and western Bekaa and in the south, besides strikes in Beirut. The strikes have targeted buildings where civilians were living, and the death toll was expected to rise.

In a widely circulated video of the strike in Sidon, verified by The Associated Press, a building swayed before collapsing as neighbours filmed the strike. On one TV station, the broadcaster called on viewers to pray for a family caught under the rubble, posting their pictures, as rescuers failed to reach them. The Lebanese health ministry reported Sunday that at least 14 medics were killed in two days in the south.

Israel hits Houthi targets in Yemen

Also on Sunday, the Israeli military said dozens of aircraft struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to a recent attack on Israel. The military said it targeted power plants and sea port facilities in the city of Hodeida.

The Houthis launched a ballistic missile attack on Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on Saturday when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arriving.

The Houthi media office said the Israelis strikes hit the Hodeida and Rass Issa ports along with two power plants in Hodeida city, which is a stronghold for the Iranian-backed rebels.

Following the strikes, fire and plumes of smoke could be seen in the air over the Hodeida.

The Houthi-run health ministry said four people were killed and 29 others were wounded in Sunday's strikes.