Reuters
Seventeen people, including two children, were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the Health Ministry said, as violence continued despite a ceasefire now in its second week.
The strikes – which Israel said targeted Hezbollah infrastructure – also injured 35 people, including nine children and eight women, the ministry said.
Separately, Hezbollah said it carried out attacks against Israeli forces in the south, including a drone strike targeting soldiers in the Bint Jbeil district.
This violence comes as Israel continues its military operations in Lebanon despite the ceasefire announced on April 16, after direct talks between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun criticized what he called Israel’s “continued violations” of the truce, saying strikes and demolitions of homes and places of worship continued “despite the ceasefire.”
“Pressure must be brought to bear on Israel to ensure that it respects international laws and conventions and stops targeting civilians, ambulance workers, civil defense and humanitarian organizations,” he said.
On Thursday, the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for 15 villages in southern Lebanon. Many villages were outside what Israel has designated the “Yellow Line” – a strip of territory stretching about 10 km (6 miles) from the border where Israel continues to operate against threats.
Israel says its actions are a response to what it describes as violations of the deal by Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political party. Hezbollah was not involved in the ceasefire agreement but had indicated that it would respect its terms if it was also respected by Israel.
Although the truce largely stopped strikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs, fighting persisted elsewhere in the south, with continued air raids and repeated evacuation orders.
Lebanese officials say these are a series of violations, while Israel maintains it is acting in accordance with the terms of the agreement. The US-brokered ceasefire allows Israel to respond to what it describes as “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks” – but Hezbollah rejects that part of the deal.
The fragile truce also highlighted political divisions in Beirut over what happens next.
President Aoun supported direct, face-to-face talks and said the ceasefire should evolve into a “more permanent agreement.” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, has taken a very different stance, opposing direct talks and warning that they carry risks.
The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2 after the group fired rockets into Israel, which responded with widespread airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.
Since then, more than 2,500 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 103 health professionals, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. It does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, but says the figure includes at least 270 women and more than 170 children.
The Israeli army said one of its soldiers was killed Thursday during fighting in southern Lebanon, bringing to 17 the number of Israeli soldiers dead since the beginning of March.
