Israeli airstrikes targeted southern Lebanon on Friday, killing at least 10 members of Lebanon's State Security agency in the city of Nabatieh. The strike hit a government complex housing the State Security office, causing extensive damage and a fire that continued burning afterward.

Lebanese authorities reported varying casualty figures, with some sources citing 13 State Security personnel killed in the Nabatieh attack alone, contributing to at least 14 deaths across multiple strikes that day in areas including Hannawiya, Aita al-Shaab, al-Majadel, and Hanine. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack on state institutions, stating it would not deter the country from defending its sovereignty.

The Israeli military did not provide a specific justification for the Nabatieh strike. Still, it said it had dismantled more than 4,300 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon and killed over 1,400 fighters from the group. The strikes came amid Israel's ongoing campaign against Hezbollah, which intensified after a U.S.-Iran ceasefire announced earlier in the week that Israel and the United States said did not apply to Lebanon.

Hezbollah responded to Friday's attacks by firing rockets at northern Israeli towns, including Kiryat Shmona, Metula, and Misgav Am, as well as targeting Israel's Ashdod naval base with missiles. The group stated the actions continued "until the Israeli-American aggression against the country and the people stopped."

The Nabatieh incident followed massive Israeli strikes on April 8, dubbed Operation Eternal Darkness, which hit over 100 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon in 10 minutes and killed at least 254 people. Overall, Lebanese officials report more than 1,953 people killed and 6,303 wounded since the conflict escalated on March 2, 2026, including over 600 children affected. Israel claims hundreds of Hezbollah militants among the dead.

Funeral ceremonies for the State Security victims took place in Lebanon on Saturday. The Israeli Defense Forces reported striking more than 200 Hezbollah targets in the past 24 hours as ground operations continued in southern Lebanon, including near Bint Jbeil. Diplomatic efforts, including U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon, face challenges amid the violence.