Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon have left 16 people dead, making it the deadliest day in more than five months of fighting along the border. In retaliation, Hezbollah rockets killed one Israeli man. Tensions have escalated along the Israel-Lebanon frontier since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The first Israeli airstrike targeted the Lebanese Sunni political and militant organization, the Islamic Group. Israel also struck Hezbollah fighters and a local commander with the Amal Movement. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing rockets into northern Israel in retaliation for the deadly attack on a paramedic center.

The violence has resulted in tens of thousands of people being displaced on both sides. The Lebanese villages of Teir Harfa and Naqoura were bombed by Israel, leading to further casualties. Rescue services in Israel confirmed a 25-year-old man was killed and another person injured in the rocket attack.

International mediators are now working to prevent an all-out war between Israel and Lebanon. So far, nine civilians and 11 soldiers have been killed in Israel, while nearly 240 Hezbollah fighters and around 40 civilians have died in Lebanon.

The recent escalation began when Hezbollah started launching rockets towards Israel on Oct. 8, following an attack by Hamas-led militants in southern Israel. The situation remains tense, and the international community is closely monitoring the developments.

For more information, the Associated Press’s coverage is available at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.