Lebanon says one dead as Israel resumes strike on south

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s health ministry said one person was killed Sunday in an Israeli drone strike, a day after the most intense escalation since a November ceasefire in the war with Hezbollah.

“The Israeli enemy raid with a drone on a car in Aita al-Shaab led to the death of one citizen,” the health ministry said after the official National News Agency (NNA) had reported the strike on the southern village.

The NNA also reported separate Israeli strikes on Sunday on Naqurah, Shihin and Labbouneh in the south, near the Israeli border.

Saturday saw the most intense escalation since a November ceasefire halted the war between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

The Lebanese health ministry said seven people were killed on Saturday, including in an attack on Tyre which a security source told AFP targeted a Hezbollah official.

Israel said the strikes were “a response to rocket fire towards Israel and a continuation of the first series of strikes carried out” in southern Lebanon.

Israel strikes Lebanon in response to cross-border launch

Hezbollah denied any involvement in the rocket attack, and called Israel’s accusations “pretexts for its continued attacks on Lebanon”.

The November ceasefire brought relative calm after a year of hostilities, including two months of open war, between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel has continued to strike Lebanon after the ceasefire, targeting what it said were Hezbollah military sites that violated the agreement.

Under the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to pull its forces north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.

Israel is supposed to withdraw its forces across the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border, but has missed two deadlines to do so and continues to hold five positions it deems “strategic”.