RAMALLAH, May 26, 2026 (WAFA) – Five people were killed and others wounded in an intense Israeli airstrike targeting the town of Mashghara in the Western Bekaa Valley of eastern Lebanon early Tuesday morning, amid ongoing military escalation and Israeli threats to expand military operations.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes launched eight consecutive airstrikes on Mashghara, creating what it described as a "ring of fire" around the town. The strikes resulted in the killing of five people and injuries to several others.

The Israeli bombardment extended to several areas in southern Lebanon, including the city of Nabatieh and the towns of Kfar Rumman, Arab Salim, Shahour, Yater, Haddatha, and Jabal al-Batoum. Simultaneously, artillery shelling targeted the towns of Srifa and Burj Qalawiya.

In the context of this escalation, the Israeli army issued urgent warnings to residents of several villages in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley, ordering them to evacuate their homes. This led to new waves of displacement, particularly from areas surrounding the southern suburbs of Beirut.

This escalation comes after Israel announced the expansion of its military operations in Lebanon and threats issued by political and military officials to intensify attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that military operations against Hezbollah would escalate in the coming period.

In response, Hezbollah announced that it had carried out attacks targeting Israeli positions in northern occupied Palestine, including gatherings of soldiers and military vehicles, using drones and artillery shells. The attacks targeted several locations, including Khiam, the Avivim barracks, the Metula site, and the Misgav Am settlement.

Y.S