Attack on Nabatieh municipal council

On 16 October 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck the municipal council headquarters of Nabatieh, a city in southern Lebanon, with a series of ten airstrikes. The strikes occurred approximately one hour after Israel issued an evacuation notice for the building. At the time, municipal staff were reportedly holding a meeting inside to coordinate humanitarian aid for civilians who remained in the town.

The attack killed at least 16 municipality staff members, including Ahmad Kahil, the mayor of Nabatieh, and injured more than 52 others. The governor of Nabatieh Governorate stated that the death toll could rise further as search operations continued in the rubble.

The strike occurred amid a broader escalation in the Israel–Hezbollah conflict. On 1 October 2024, Israel had invaded southern Lebanon following a series of major attacks the previous month; in September 2024, the IDF had launched a wave of airstrikes across Lebanon that drew significant international controversy.

Israel stated that it had targeted "Hezbollah targets," including what it described as "military buildings, military headquarters and munitions warehouses" at the site. Lebanese officials disputed this characterization. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the strike, stating that it had "intentionally targeted a meeting of the municipal council to discuss the city's service and relief situation." Lebanon accused Israel of carrying out a massacre.

International reaction included comments from the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, who said civilian suffering in Lebanon was reaching an unprecedented level and stressed that "civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times." A spokesman for the US State Department, Mathew Miller, acknowledged Hezbollah's alleged use of civilian areas, stating that Israel "does have a right to go after those legitimate targets, but they need to do so in a way that protects...civilians."

As of the available reporting, no individuals have been named as charged, convicted, or acquitted in connection with the strike, and the matter remains characterized by disputed accounts between Lebanese and Israeli authorities regarding the nature of the targets struck.