According to Reuters, the mayor and five others were killed by an Israeli airstrike targeting the headquarters of the southern Lebanese province of Nabatieh.
The victims died while helping others escape a series of violent explosions on October 16.
According to Israel, the intensified airstrikes in southern Lebanon in late September were aimed at destroying Hezbollah. However, the latest attack also affected Lebanese government officials who were not involved in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon's interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati strongly condemned the move and accused the Israeli army of deliberately blocking a city council meeting on the service and relief situation in Nabatieh.
Since Israel intensified its airstrikes on Lebanon late last month, the October 16 attack was the most serious because it caused casualties among Lebanese government officials.
Mayor Ahmed Kahil has refused to leave Nabatieh despite Israel's call for tens of thousands of people living in the area to evacuate.
Israel said the October 16 attack destroyed a network of tunnels used by Hezbollah near the Lebanese border. On the same day, Israeli naval artillery “crushed” dozens of alleged Hezbollah targets in the surrounding area.
The US has repeatedly expressed concern about the number of deaths in Lebanon and warned of the risk of war spreading across the Middle East due to the high density of Israeli airstrikes.
Israeli ground attacks last week left five United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) staff members injured and at least two Lebanese soldiers dead.
According to the United Nations, the Israeli attack killed more than 2,000 people in Lebanon, regardless of soldiers or civilians; about 1.2 million people were forced to leave their homes.
Hezbollah said on October 15 that it would deal a “painful blow” to Israel if the war in Lebanon continued. However, Hezbollah had publicly endorsed an unconditional ceasefire after its leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in early October.
The Israeli military said the ultimate goal of the military campaign in Lebanon is to secure northern Israel by destroying Hezbollah, creating conditions for tens of thousands of Israelis to return home.
