An Israeli airstrike targeted a civilian vehicle on Wednesday in the town of Yanouh, in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, killing three people, including a four-year-old child and his father, according to Lebanese local sources.

The victims were identified as Ali Jaber, aged four, and his father Hassan Jaber, who were reportedly killed instantly when the vehicle was struck. The identity of the third victim had not been officially confirmed by late evening, as local authorities continued their assessment of the scene.

Witnesses said the strike occurred without warning, hitting the vehicle as it was traveling through the town. Emergency responders and residents rushed to the area, but the intensity of the strike left little chance of survival for those inside.

The attack comes despite a ceasefire agreement that came into effect in 2024, which Lebanese officials and human rights groups say has been repeatedly violated by Israeli forces. Since the ceasefire, dozens of civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon, many of them in what were described as targeted assassinations or aerial attacks on civilian areas.

Lebanese observers say Wednesday’s strike has reignited anger and grief, particularly due to the killing of a young child. The incident has drawn comparisons to previous deadly Israeli attacks, including the September 2025 airstrike on Bint Jbeil, deadly strikes in July 2024, and the October 2025 killing of a municipal worker who was reportedly targeted while asleep in his home.

Following the strike, Lebanese security forces imposed temporary measures in the area as investigations began. The Lebanese Army and civil defense teams secured the site and coordinated with local authorities to document the damage and collect evidence.

Political figures and civil society groups in Lebanon condemned the attack, describing it as a clear violation of international humanitarian law and an act of collective punishment against civilians. Calls mounted for international accountability, with renewed demands for independent investigations into Israeli strikes on civilian targets.

As of Wednesday night, the Israeli military had not issued a detailed statement regarding the strike in Yanouh.

Analysts warn that continued Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon risk further destabilizing the fragile ceasefire and expanding the cycle of violence. Residents of border regions say fear has become a constant part of daily life, with families increasingly reluctant to travel even within their own towns.

For many in Lebanon, the killing of a child and his father has come to symbolize an unchecked Israeli military aggression, carried out with impunity and with devastating consequences for civilian families.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing, while local communities in Yanouh prepare funerals amid renewed calls for protection of civilians and an end to cross-border attacks. (ILKHA)