Lebanese in the south refuse to flee again despite escalating Israeli strikes
Many residents of villages in southern Lebanon say they will not abandon their homes again despite a recent escalation in Israeli air strikes. Local officials report rising civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
Many residents of villages along Lebanon's southern border say they will not abandon their homes again despite an intensification of Israeli air strikes in recent weeks. Village heads speaking to Al Jazeera said that after years of successive displacement, the economic and emotional cost of leaving had become too high.
Lebanon's health ministry said the number of people killed in strikes in the border area had risen in the past 24 hours. The United Nations renewed its calls for civilians to be protected; the Israeli military said in a statement that it had hit Hezbollah-linked infrastructure.
Local agriculture in the south consists mainly of olive and tobacco harvesting, which has been hit since the strikes resumed. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it had increased patrols in the affected area.
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