Lebanon's president condemns Israeli strike that killed three children

President Aoun condemns 'massacre' in Bint Jbeil and calls for international action

An Israeli drone strike killed five people, including three children, in the Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil. Some reports said one child from the family survived. Photo: Supplied

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has condemned an Israeli drone strike that killed five people, including three children, in the southern town of Bint Jbeil as a “massacre”.

The drone struck a motorcycle and a car with two missiles on Sunday, according to Lebanon's National News Agency. Five people were killed, including three children, and two others were wounded, the county's health ministry said.

Lebanese newspaper L'Orient–Le Jour identified the driver of a Mercedes SUV that was struck by a missile as Chadi Sobhi Charara. It said he and several children were killed.

Mr Aoun said in a statement: “While we are in New York to discuss peace and human rights issues, Israel persists in its ongoing violations of international resolutions, most notably the cessation of hostilities agreement, by committing a new massacre in Bint Jbeil, which claimed the lives of five martyrs, including three children.

“From New York, we call on the international community, whose leaders are present in the halls of the United Nations, to exert every effort to stop violations of international resolutions, especially the states sponsoring the November 27, 2024 Declaration, and to pressure Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and abide by the aforementioned declaration.

A Lebanese newspaper said this man, Chadi Charara, and several of his children died in the strike. Photo: Supplied

“There is no peace above the blood of our children.”

Israel claimed it targeted a "terrorist [who] operated from within a civilian population and in violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon".

"As a result of the strike, several uninvolved civilians were killed. The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and operates to minimize harm as much as possible. The incident is under review," a statement read.

Israel has continued to launch attacks in Lebanon despite a November truce ending more than a year of conflict with Hezbollah. Israel has also kept troops in five southern areas that it deems are strategic.

Israeli strikes killed two people in the south of the country on Friday. Israel claimed they were Hezbollah operatives.

The latest strikes comes as Lebanon’s government, under unprecedented US pressure, seeks to disarm Hezbollah.

The army said the number of Israeli ceasefire violations now amounts to 4,500 and said continuing attacks risk slowing down Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's war with Hezbollah has created the possibility for peace with Lebanon and Syria.

“Our victories in Lebanon against Hezbollah have opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before our recent operations and actions: the possibility of peace with our northern neighbours,” Mr Netanyahu told the cabinet on Sunday.

In August, Beirut ordered its military to draw up disarmament plans, which its cabinet said the army would begin implementing.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said earlier this month that the army would start by fully disarming Hezbollah near the border with Israel within three months, then turn its focus to other areas.