Two people were killed on Sunday in air strikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, as Israel said it hit Hezbollah operatives amid a fragile truce.
It came just days after the second Israeli air strike in five days on the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital Beirut killed four people, an escalation many feared would shatter an uneasy truce between militant group Hezbollah – one of whom's officers was killed in the attack – and Israel.
The Israeli military said Sunday's attack on the town of Zibqin targeted Hezbollah, who it said was “attempting to rebuild Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites” in the area.
Israel has continued to launch air strikes on Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreed in November fragile ceasefire in late November. More than 4,000 people have been killed in Lebanon during the conflict, which began in parallel to Israel's war on Gaza, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel.
Under the truce, Hezbollah was to post its troops north of the Litani River, about 30km from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.
Israel was to withdraw its troops across the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border, but has missed two deadlines to do so and continues to hold five positions in south Lebanon that it deems “strategic”.
The latest raid came after visiting US deputy envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus discussed the situation in southern Lebanon with President Joseph Aoun on Saturday. The Lebanese Presidency said on X the meeting had been “constructive” with discussions centring on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese-Syrian border and fighting corruption.
