Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon kill 11 people in another test to truce

BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people Saturday, in the deadliest attacks since a truce between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on June 20.

Lebanon's Health Ministry and state news agency said an airstrike that targeted a home on the edge of Ansar village killed seven people, including three children, and wounded two. The second, on the village of Deir al-Zahrani, killed four and wounded 17.

Israel and the Lebanese government announced a “framework agreement” on June 26, laying out a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. It envisions steps toward an eventual peace agreement between the countries, which remain technically at war nearly 80 years after Israel’s establishment.

Hezbollah has refused direct talks and wasn’t party to the deal.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized Israel's airstrikes on southern Lebanon, saying they intimidate “residents in their homes" and undermine efforts to stabilize the situation in the south.

“The seven martyrs of the Israeli airstrike on the town of Ansar are not military infrastructure and the children and women killed were not military targets,” Salam said on X. He added that it is the job of the Lebanese state to deal with any military infrastructure in the country.

President Joseph Aoun said in comments released by his office that the strikes are “a clear message to the negotiation track and to the American efforts aimed at implementing this agreement.”

Intense Israeli airstrikes early Saturday also hit the strategic Ali Taher hill, which overlooks parts of the southern city of Nabatiyeh and main roads leading to it, NNA reported. Despite the truce, Israel’s military has continued near-daily attacks in the area north of the Litani River, with large areas to the south under Israeli military control.

The Israeli military said in a statement it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in the areas of Ali Taher and Ansar in response to an action against Israeli soldiers in the area.

The office of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by attacking Israeli soldiers inside Lebanon, seriously wounding three. It said the military responded by striking the Hezbollah headquarters which ordered the attack, learning only later that Hezbollah “deliberately put civilians” in that military compound. Israel's military later said the soldiers were hurt by an explosive drone.

The Israeli military issued another statement later Saturday saying the strike on Ansar killed Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan, whom it described as a battalion commander with Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force unit. The military said Haj Hassan’s family was with him and was harmed, but emphasized that the family was not targeted.

Hezbollah supporters posted photographs on social media of the commander, his wife, three sons and one daughter and said they were all killed in the strike.

A Hezbollah official did not immediately respond when asked for comment on whether they carried out any attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah called on the Lebanese state to find ways to halt “this aggression” rather than pursuing U.S.-sponsored direct talks with Israel, arguing that would be “free gifts for the enemy despite the crimes and aggression it is carrying out.”

“The American side is a partner of the Israeli enemy in its crimes and massacres,” Hezbollah added in the statement.

Earlier this month, two Israeli soldiers were killed in an explosion in southern Lebanon, the first Israeli deaths since the truce. Hezbollah has not commented on the blast.

Lebanon and Israel have held seven rounds of talks; the most recent took place in Rome earlier this month.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah has refused to disarm and accuses the Lebanese government of making too many concessions without guaranteeing an Israeli withdrawal.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war erupted on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets across the border two days after the U.S. and Israel launched their attacks on Iran. More than 4,000 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since then, including hundreds of civilians. About 40 soldiers and three civilians — including a military contractor — have been killed on the Israeli side.

Associated Press writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

People and rescue workers gather on a destroyed house that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Zahrani village, southern Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

Rescue workers carry a plastic bag, containing the body of a person who was killed at a house that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Zahrani village, southern Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

People check a destroyed home that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Ansar village, southern Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

A man checks his damaged bedroom near the site where an Israeli airstrike hit and destroyed a house in Ansar village, southern Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

A man reacts on the rubble of a destroyed home that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Ansar village, southern Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

A rescue worker, left, searches for victims under the rubble of a home that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Ansar village, southern Lebanon, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

LINZ, Austria (AP) — Bradley Barcola scored a hat trick as Liverpool coasted to a 6-3 win at Austria’s LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday.

They were his first goals for the club since joining from European champion Paris Saint-Germain in the offseason.

Ronald Araújo also got his first Liverpool goal as he broke the deadlock with a header from a corner, less than two minutes before Barcola scored in the 24th from a lay-off by Lewis Koumas.

Ryan Gravenberch struck the post before Barcola got his second in the 37th, finishing with aplomb after being played through by Florian Wirtz.

Jeremie Frimpong, one of the smallest players on the field, headed Liverpool’s fourth in off the right post in the 51st.

Robert Ljubičić pulled a goal back in the 63rd, a minute after going on as a substitute, before Frimpong gave Barcola a simple tap-in to complete his hat trick in the 66th.

Koumas was left free to get Liverpool’s sixth six minutes later – it was the 21-year-old forward's first Liverpool goal.

But Florian Flecker – another LASK substitute – got the biggest cheer when he scored his team’s second with a diving header in the 74th, four minutes before he got another to complete the scoring.

Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola dropped Virgil van Dijk to the substitutes’ bench with French defender Jérémy Jacquet starting. The Dutch star replaced Jacquet for the last half hour or so.

Anis Hadj Moussa scored twice as Dutch leader Feyenoord came from behind to beat visiting Como 3-2 in the other early game.

Assane Diao gave Como the lead with the team’s first shot in the 18th minute after outmuscling Javi López on the right and firing inside the far post.

But Gjivai Zechiël replied two minutes later with a spectacular shot, and Algeria winger Hadj Moussa scored early in the second half before sealing the result in the 82nd.

Tasos Douvikas scored Como's consolation in stoppage time.

Scandal-hit Manchester City was hosting fellow big spender PSG later for its first European game since being charged with financial rule-breaking over nearly a decade in the Premier League.

Also later, Real Madrid was visiting Roma for coach José Mourinho’s return, Bodø/Glimt was playing Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis was entertaining Porto, Fenerbahçe was visiting Aston Villa, Stuttgart traveled to Slovan Bratislava, and Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk was hosting AEK Athens at Chelsea’s ground in London.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Como's Kaiki Bruno fouls Feyenoord's Anis Hadj Moussa during the UEFA Champions League soccer match betweem Feyenoord and Como in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)

Como's Kaiki Bruno fouls Feyenoord's Anis Hadj Moussa during the UEFA Champions League soccer match betweem Feyenoord and Como in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)

Liverpool's Bradley Barcola, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between LASK and Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Liverpool's Bradley Barcola, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between LASK and Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Liverpool's Bradley Barcola, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between LASK and Liverpool in Linz, Austria, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)