Beirut, 10 May (H.S.):

Hezbollah said on Saturday that it would not accept a return to the situation that existed before March 2, warning that the conflict had entered “a new phase” after Israeli strikes across Lebanon killed at least nine people, including civilians. The statement came as Israel intensified attacks in the south and near the Saadiyat highway, while Hezbollah responded with drone strikes toward northern Israel.

According to Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, the group sees the latest escalation as proof that the truce is fragile and that Israel continues to act beyond the ceasefire terms. He said the resistance would not accept a return to the pre-March 2 position, a clear signal that Hezbollah is preparing to keep up pressure rather than step back. That framing is important because it shows Hezbollah presenting the fighting not as a temporary flare-up, but as a shift in the rules of engagement.

Israeli strikes on Saturday hit several areas in southern Lebanon, including Saksakiyeh, where Lebanon’s health ministry said seven people were killed, among them a girl, and 15 others were wounded. In Nabatieh, the ministry said a Syrian man and his 12-year-old daughter were hit in a drone attack, while another strike in Bedias killed one person and wounded 13 others, including children and women.

The Israeli military said it was targeting Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure and said reports of civilian harm were under review.

Hezbollah’s response on Saturday was also notable. The group said it had targeted Israeli troops in northern Israel with drones on at least two occasions, and the Israeli military reported that several explosive drones crossed into Israeli territory, leaving one reservist severely wounded and two others moderately injured. That exchange suggests Hezbollah is trying to show it can still retaliate despite the pressure from Israel’s air campaign.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar