Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon kills child Ali Hassan Jaber and his father

Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon kills child Ali Hassan Jaber and his father

On February 9, 2026, an Israeli drone strike in the town of Yanouh in southern Lebanon killed three people, including a young child and his father. Lebanese health authorities identified the child as Ali Hassan Jaber, aged three or four, and his father as Hassan Jaber, a 37-year-old member of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces. Both were on foot in the town center when the strike hit a passing vehicle.

The strike also killed a third person, Ahmad Salami, whom the Israeli military said was an artillery official with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The Israeli military acknowledged the possibility of civilian casualties and said the incident was under review. Residents said the area where the strike occurred was a crowded public space with shops and community buildings.

On February 10 and 11, mourners held funeral processions in Yanouh for the father and child. Relatives said the boy had not yet started school and had shown signs of notable intelligence, and they questioned his involvement in any armed activity. The strike took place amid ongoing Israeli military operations against Hezbollah near the Lebanon–Israel border, following escalations linked to wider regional conflicts.