Nabatiyeh residents mourn after deadly strike as Lebanon ceasefire begins

Residents of the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh are grappling with the aftermath of a deadly airstrike that flattened a residential building just hours before a newly agreed ceasefire came into effect between Israel and Lebanon. The strike left multiple people dead, including family members and neighbours, and reduced a five-storey structure to rubble.

Survivor Khodr Sahmarani, 57, described the moment of the attack as chaotic and devastating. He said he was inside his home when the building was hit, leaving him buried under debris before rescuers pulled him out. Sahmarani said he lost his brother, nephew, and two neighbours in the strike, and remains injured with a bandaged forehead as he stands amid the destruction of his home.

Local rescue teams reported recovering several bodies from the site over the course of the night and the following morning. The attack came shortly before the start of a 10-day ceasefire agreement aimed at halting six weeks of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

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Lebanese authorities say the conflict, which began in early March, has killed nearly 2,300 people and caused widespread destruction in southern towns and cities, including Nabatiyeh. Entire neighbourhoods have been damaged or destroyed, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.

Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain high. Hezbollah has said it will respect the truce but warned it remains on alert in case of violations. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for direct negotiations to consolidate the ceasefire, secure territorial withdrawal, and address border disputes.

In Nabatiyeh, streets remain largely empty, with many residents still displaced. Some have returned to find homes reduced to rubble and essential services disrupted. Survivors say they are uncertain about the future and lack safe alternatives for shelter or relocation.

For many residents, the timing of the strike just before the ceasefire has intensified grief and anger, leaving communities questioning the cost of the conflict and the prospects for lasting peace.