Israel Bombs Southern Lebanon, Killing 14 Ahead of Washington Talks

The Israeli military launched heavy strikes on Tyre, Lebanon's fourth-largest city, and several locations in southern Lebanon early on the 28th, killing at least 14 people. Israel continues to intensify its campaign against the militant group Hezbollah ahead of critical security talks between military officials from both countries in Washington. According to the Associated Press, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced an expansion of military operations in Lebanon, apparently in response to Hezbollah's use of fiber-optic drones to strike Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and towns along the northern border. Before today's strikes, the Israeli military's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, issued warnings for Tyre and surrounding towns. Drone strikes were also reported near the northern cities of Sidon and Adloun, as well as the inland city of Nabatiyeh. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health and the National News Agency, the series of strikes killed at least 14 people, including five women and children and one Lebanese soldier, with dozens more injured. The Israeli military stated that Hezbollah launched drone attacks on northern Israel today, killing one Israeli soldier and wounding two reservists. Military officials from Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold their first security talks in Washington tomorrow. The talks aim to extend the nominal ceasefire that took effect on April 17, though mutual attacks between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified, without reaching the Lebanese capital, Beirut.