Municipal authorities say Israeli airstrikes conducted during the latest round of hostilities killed about 60 people in Tyre, destroyed 26 buildings and damaged roughly 1,000 homes, forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee after evacuation warnings were issued earlier this month.

The attacks followed Hezbollah rocket fire into Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, drawing extensive Israeli military strikes across southern Lebanon as regional tensions escalated.

Although fighting has largely subsided following last week’s U.S.-Iran agreement and a subsequent reduction in hostilities along the Lebanese front, evidence of the conflict remains visible throughout Tyre, where damaged buildings, shattered storefronts and piles of rubble continue to dominate several neighborhoods.

Heavy equipment operators have been working around the clock to clear roads and remove debris. Residents searching through collapsed buildings for personal belongings have often found little remaining of their homes.

Authorities estimate that more than two-thirds of those displaced from the city have returned since the ceasefire took hold, beginning efforts to restore normal life despite continuing security concerns.

Business owners are among those leading the recovery. Hussein Hassan, a barber who returned after fleeing with his family during the conflict, reopened his shop despite structural damage that left walls cracked and windows destroyed.

Across the city, merchants and homeowners are undertaking repairs while assessing losses caused by the bombardment. Ali Samhat, who operates a neighborhood mini-market damaged in an airstrike, said reconstruction efforts had begun immediately after residents returned.

The destruction has also affected members of Lebanon’s diaspora. Abbas Ashour, who lives and works in Britain, returned to search the remains of the apartment he had purchased and furnished for his family before it was destroyed during the fighting.

Despite the damage, local officials are attempting to revive economic activity ahead of the summer tourism season. Deputy Mayor Alwan Charafeddine said plans are moving forward to reopen beachfront businesses and establish new cafes and kiosks along the city’s coastline.

Tyre, known for its beaches and historical significance, remains one of southern Lebanon’s most important tourist destinations. Residents have gradually returned to public spaces, including the city’s waterfront, where families and visitors have resumed recreational activities following weeks of displacement.

Many residents, however, remain cautious about the future. Israeli forces continue to maintain positions in parts of southern Lebanon, and both sides have exchanged accusations and threats since the ceasefire came into effect.

For now, the city’s recovery reflects a determination among residents to rebuild livelihoods disrupted by conflict while hoping the current period of relative calm develops into a more lasting stability along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The latest ceasefire, which took effect amid broader diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran, has brought a relative lull to the southern Lebanese city. However, many residents remain reluctant to return to normal routines, citing fears that fighting could resume as previous truce agreements have repeatedly collapsed.

The conflict, which intensified in March after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel during a wider regional confrontation involving Iran, has killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. Israeli military operations have also pushed deep into southern Lebanon, leaving extensive destruction across the region.

Tyre, one of Lebanon’s oldest cities and a major summer tourism destination, has been among the areas heavily affected. Businesses that normally depend on seasonal visitors report little activity, while public spaces and parking areas have been occupied by displaced families who fled nearby towns and villages.

Residents say uncertainty continues to dominate daily life despite the reduction in visible fighting. Many displaced people have delayed returning to their homes, particularly in communities that suffered extensive damage during the conflict.

The city’s cultural heritage has also sustained damage. Several structures near Tyre’s renowned archaeological complex were struck during the air campaign, affecting areas adjacent to Roman-era monuments and historical sites that form part of a UNESCO-recognized heritage zone. Lebanese antiquities officials said assessments are expected to determine the extent of the damage and the scope of restoration work required.

Environmental concerns have also emerged along the southern coastline. Areas near the Mansouri coastal reserve, known for its sea turtle habitats and biodiversity, have become inaccessible following military activity and bombardment.

Healthcare facilities in Tyre have likewise faced disruptions. Medical workers at one of the city’s largest hospitals said nearby airstrikes damaged parts of the facility, shattered windows and doors, and raised concerns about the safety of medical personnel operating in active conflict zones.

Doctors and nurses who have worked through previous wars in southern Lebanon said the proximity of recent strikes to hospitals marked a significant escalation in the risks faced by healthcare workers.

The ceasefire has eased immediate security concerns, but signs of continuing military tension remain visible across southern Lebanon. Israeli forces continue to maintain positions in areas near the border, while periodic military activity has been reported south of Tyre.

Diplomatic discussions between Lebanon and Israel are continuing with international mediation, though Hezbollah has rejected calls for disarmament and remains outside the formal negotiation process.

For many residents, the destruction left behind by months of fighting has underscored the uncertainty surrounding the region’s future, even as diplomatic efforts seek to prevent a return to large-scale conflict.

The two-day meeting at the U.S. State Department brings together Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Lebanese envoy Nada Hamadeh Moawad and senior U.S. diplomat Daniel Holler. No statements were made as the talks began.

The discussions follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that both sides had agreed to de-escalate, though fighting has continued along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Israel said it would keep targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs if attacks on northern Israeli communities persist.

The talks come amid a sharp escalation in hostilities, with Israeli forces conducting their deepest incursion into Lebanon in years. Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes near a hospital in Tyre on Monday killed four people and wounded 127 others.

The renewed offensive comes as diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran continue in parallel to end a wider regional conflict that has drawn in multiple fronts across the Middle East, including the Israel-Hezbollah confrontation along the Lebanese border.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said he had directed the Israeli military to accelerate operations against the Iran-backed militant group, citing continued drone attacks on Israeli positions.

“I have ordered an even greater acceleration of our operations,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel would intensify its military campaign and increase firepower against Hezbollah.

The Israeli military subsequently launched a series of strikes across the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon and targeted multiple locations in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

Lebanese media reported that at least three people were killed in separate strikes involving two vehicles and a motorcycle. Additional airstrikes were reported near the coastal city of Tyre and in other areas of southern Lebanon.

The escalation followed evacuation warnings issued by the Israeli military for residents in 10 villages in southern Lebanon. Israeli authorities accused Hezbollah of violating the April 17 ceasefire agreement through continued attacks on Israeli forces and territory.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said operations were being conducted in response to Hezbollah activities that breached the truce.
Hezbollah said it had carried out several drone attacks against Israeli military positions on Monday and later announced strikes targeting three military barracks and an additional post in northern Israel. The group described its actions as retaliation for Israeli violations of the ceasefire.

Despite the agreement reached in April, hostilities have persisted almost daily, underscoring the fragility of efforts to stabilize the Israel-Lebanon frontier.
The violence prompted visible displacement in parts of Lebanon. Residents were seen leaving neighborhoods in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah, following warnings of possible expanded military action.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli operations since the outbreak of fighting in early March have killed more than 3,100 people. Israel said one soldier was killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday, bringing the number of Israeli military fatalities in the conflict to 23. One civilian contractor has also been reported killed.

Pressure for a broader military campaign has intensified within Israel’s governing coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for harsher retaliatory measures against Hezbollah drone attacks, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir advocated a return to intensive warfare and greater territorial control in southern Lebanon.

Israeli forces currently maintain positions inside a security zone extending several kilometers into Lebanese territory. The military has identified the Litani River as a strategic boundary beyond which Hezbollah fighters should not operate.

Amid the escalation, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed his demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, describing the issue as non-negotiable. He also defended ongoing indirect contacts between Lebanese and Israeli officials.

The two countries, which do not maintain diplomatic relations, are scheduled to participate in talks in Washington on June 2 and 3, preceded by military-level discussions at the Pentagon later this week.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated opposition to direct negotiations with Israel and rejected calls for the group to disarm, signaling that key obstacles to a durable settlement remain unresolved.

The latest escalation highlights the challenge facing regional mediators seeking to contain multiple interconnected conflicts across the Middle East as negotiations over Iran, maritime security and broader ceasefire arrangements continue.

In separate warnings posted on social media, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged civilians to leave targeted areas immediately and move to safer locations ahead of anticipated strikes.

The initial warning covered 10 villages, most of them located in southern Lebanon, where residents were instructed to relocate at least 1,000 meters from their homes. The Israeli military said the measures were necessary because of what it described as Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Later in the day, Adraee issued a second evacuation notice directed at residents of one building in Rashidiyeh and two buildings in Burj Al-Shamali, both near the city of Tyre. The military alleged that the sites were located near facilities used by Hezbollah and ordered residents to move at least 300 meters away.

The warnings marked the latest escalation in a conflict that has continued despite a ceasefire that came into force on April 17. Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire on an almost daily basis since then, raising concerns about the stability of the truce and the potential for broader regional escalation.

Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted locations in and around Tyre that they say are connected to Hezbollah operations. The strikes have caused significant damage in several neighborhoods and contributed to recurring waves of civilian displacement.

Lebanese authorities say Israeli military operations since early March have killed more than 3,100 people, although the figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The casualty toll has become a central point of contention as diplomatic efforts to reinforce the ceasefire continue.

The Israeli military separately announced that one of its soldiers was killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday. According to Israeli figures, the death brought to 23 the number of soldiers killed since the outbreak of hostilities with Hezbollah. One civilian contractor has also been reported killed.

The latest evacuation orders came as Lebanon observed Resistance and Liberation Day, a national holiday commemorating Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. Lebanese leaders used the occasion to call for solidarity with communities affected by the continuing violence rather than celebrations.

The renewed warnings underscore the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the persistent security challenges along the Israel-Lebanon border, where military activity and civilian displacement remain ongoing concerns.

The strikes came hours after Israel issued evacuation warnings to residents of 10 villages in southern Lebanon, urging them to leave areas near locations identified by the military as Hezbollah infrastructure.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said the army was compelled to act against alleged violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah, adding that civilians were being warned in advance to reduce the risk of casualties.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported Israeli airstrikes on roughly a dozen sites across southern Lebanon, including an attack on an agricultural area that wounded several Syrian workers.
One of the most significant strikes occurred in the southern coastal city of Tyre, where a targeted attack near Hiram Hospital caused extensive damage to the medical facility.

Journalists at the scene reported shattered windows, damaged medical equipment and structural impacts throughout parts of the building.

Hospital chief executive Dr. Salman Aydibi said approximately 40 patients, including seven intensive care patients, were inside the facility when evacuation warnings were issued. Staff moved patients to safer sections of the hospital before the strike occurred.
According to Aydibi, no patients were injured, although around 30 staff members suffered minor injuries.

The hospital remained operational after the attack, though emergency services were briefly suspended while damage assessments were carried out.
The Israeli military said it had struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites in Tyre that were allegedly being used by operatives to plan and execute attacks against Israeli forces. It said precautions included advance warnings, aerial surveillance and the use of precision-guided munitions.

Israeli forces also conducted strikes in eastern Lebanon overnight. The military said it targeted an underground Hezbollah facility used for weapons production.

Separately, Jamaa Islamiya and its armed wing, Al-Fajr Forces, announced that one of their members had been killed in an Israeli strike in eastern Lebanon.

The latest attacks underscore the fragility of the ceasefire that took effect on April 17. While the agreement, backed by Washington, halted large-scale fighting, both Israel and Hezbollah have accused each other of violations, and intermittent military exchanges have continued along the border.

Under the ceasefire framework, Israel maintains the right to take action against what it describes as planned, imminent or ongoing attacks, a provision that remains a source of dispute between the two sides.

Lebanese state media reported fresh Israeli strikes, while the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for a building near the southern city of Tyre, signaling ongoing operations despite the broader regional truce.

Hezbollah, which entered the conflict by launching attacks on Israel on March 2, has not claimed any operations since early Wednesday. Three Lebanese sources close to the group told Reuters it had halted fire on northern Israel and Israeli forces in Lebanon as part of the ceasefire arrangement involving Iran.

The Israeli military said it “continues fighting and ground operations” against Hezbollah, underscoring that hostilities along the Lebanon front remain active.Lebanon’s army warned residents against returning to southern areas, citing ongoing Israeli attacks and the presence of advancing Israeli forces.

It urged civilians to avoid exposed zones until conditions stabilize.An AFP correspondent in the Tyre region reported limited civilian movement southward, despite the displacement of hundreds of thousands since the conflict expanded into Lebanon.

Hezbollah is expected to issue a formal statement clarifying its position on the ceasefire and Netanyahu’s assertion that Lebanon is excluded from the agreement, the Lebanese sources said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, while welcoming the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, said the situation in Lebanon remained critical and called for its inclusion in any broader de-escalation framework.