Lebanon Central Bank Condemns Israeli Strike on Branch in South Nabatieh

What happened

Lebanon’s central bank condemned an Israeli strike on a branch located in the southern city of Nabatieh, describing the attack as "direct and deliberate" in a statement on Saturday. The bank said the building was empty at the time, sustaining only material damage, and characterized the attack as targeting a key Lebanese state institution.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. The statement called on the United States and its allies to ensure protection of Lebanese civilians and official institutions amid the ongoing conflict. Although a ceasefire was announced on Friday following a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, reports indicate that fighting continued over southern Lebanon, particularly in Nabatieh, where Israeli air raids reportedly targeted around 20 locations.

Local Lebanese state media reported civilian casualties, citing 16 deaths in the Nabatieh region according to the civil defense agency, while AFP photographers observed smoke over the city after the strikes. Hezbollah claimed its fighters confronted Israeli forces attempting to infiltrate toward strategic hills overlooking Nabatieh overnight. These claims have not been independently verified in the supplied source context.

Known from the source

• Lebanon’s central bank condemned an Israeli strike on its Nabatieh branch.
• The strike damaged the building but the structure was empty and no immediate casualties reported at that location.
• The central bank labeled the strike as a deliberate attack on a Lebanese state institution.
• A ceasefire was announced on Friday between Iran and Washington-backed elements, but fighting reportedly continued in parts of south Lebanon.
• Lebanese state media and civil defense agencies reported around 16 deaths in the Nabatieh area due to Israeli air raids.

What remains unclear

The clashes follow Hezbollah’s involvement in the conflict since early March, when it launched rockets at Israel in response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in strikes attributed to U.S. and Israeli forces. The volatile situation in southern Lebanon continues to pose risks of escalation, with state infrastructure and civilians caught in the violence.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verification of casualty figures reported by Lebanese civil defense in Nabatieh and cross-check by independent sources. Confirmation of the timing and scope of the ceasefire and its actual effect on the ground in south Lebanon. Independent confirmation of Hezbollah’s claim about confronting Israeli forces near Nabatieh.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: Naharnet Lebanon. Open the source.