BEIRUT / Wassim Seifeddine / Anadolu

The Israeli army continued its aggression on southern Lebanon on Wednesday, carrying out a series of explosions in border towns, coinciding with the start of the second day of the sixth round of Rome negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli forces carried out a massive explosion around 3 a.m. in the eastern neighborhood of the town of Khiam in the Marjayoun district, followed by another explosion in the morning inside the town of Qantara in the same district.

The agency added that Israeli forces also carried out extensive explosions targeting valleys and homes in the town of Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district, simultaneously with the bulldozing of roads leading from the city of Bint Jbeil to the border town of Maroun al-Ras.

In another field development, Israeli forces opened fire at a number of residents while they were trying to inspect their orchards around the towns of Majdal Zoun and Al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon, with no reports of casualties.

Israeli drones also continued to fly over Beirut and its southern suburbs.

This field escalation comes as the sixth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel resumes in the Italian capital Rome under American auspices.

A high-ranking Lebanese official source described the first day of negotiations with Israel in Rome on Tuesday evening as 'positive'.

Five previous rounds of negotiations were held between Beirut and Tel Aviv in the US capital Washington, resulting in the signing of the 'Framework Formula' on June 26, which stipulates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories, starting with the implementation of a model in 'two pilot zones'.

Israel continues its aggression on Lebanon, which began on March 2, 2026, and has resulted in the deaths of 4,324 people and injuries to 12,223 others, as well as the displacement of more than one million people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades, and others since the previous war between 2023 and 2024, and has penetrated more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory during the current aggression.