Israeli strikes kill 9 in southern Lebanon despite cease-fire

Nine people were killed and three injured in Israeli airstrikes overnight in southern Lebanon, marking the deadliest Israeli violations of a cease-fire deal between the two sides, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

A ministry statement said an Israeli strike killed five people and injured two others in the town of Haris in Bint Jbeil district.

Israeli warplanes also hit Talloussa town, leaving four people dead and another injured, the ministry said.

Israeli strikes were also reported in several border towns in southern Lebanon, but no information was available about injuries.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed that the army attacks targeted Hezbollah members and targets in southern Lebanon.

On Monday evening, Hezbollah said it fired rockets at the Israeli site of Ruwaisat Al-Alam in the Kfar Shuba hills, calling it a “preliminary defensive warning” against Israel's continued violations of the cease-fire agreement.

According to Israel's Army Radio, Hezbollah fired two rockets toward the Har Dov area (Shebaa Farms), which landed in open fields without causing injuries.

Last Wednesday, a cease-fire agreement between Lebanon and Israel took effect meant to end over 14 months of fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.

However, Israel has violated the cease-fire multiple times, conducting attacks on Lebanese territory that have resulted in casualties.

Under the terms of the cease-fire, Israel is to withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line de facto border in a phased manner while the Lebanese army deploys its forces in southern Lebanon within a maximum of 60 days.

Implementation of the agreement is to be overseen by the US and France, but details on enforcement mechanisms remain unclear.

Nearly 4,000 people have been killed and more than 16,500 injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon and over 1 million others have been displaced since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.