Israeli strike kills one in south Lebanon amid ceasefire tensions

BEIRUT(Lebanon): Lebanon’s health ministry said on Saturday that an “Israeli enemy strike” on a home in south Lebanon’s Wata al-Khiam killed one person, The Times of Israel reported.

According to The Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces did not immediately comment on the strike, which comes amid lingering tensions despite the November 2024 ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.

The Times of Israel noted that the ceasefire, which brought an end to more than a year of hostilities, allowed Israel to act against “imminent threats” in Lebanon. The agreement also required Hezbollah to vacate southern Lebanon, with Israel granted a 60-day period to withdraw, making way for deployment of the Lebanese army and international peacekeepers.

As per The Times of Israel, Israel has since withdrawn from all but five strategic points along the border.

On Friday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said, “Israel’s continued presence in south Lebanon was preventing the Lebanese army from deploying,”

The Times of Israel reported. He expressed interest in peaceful relations with Israel but made clear that “normalizing relations was off the table for now.”

The Times of Israel further reported that President Aoun reaffirmed his government’s goal of maintaining a monopoly on weapons in the country —a pointed reference to Hezbollah’s arsenal. “We are committed to maintaining a monopoly on arms,” Aoun said.

Lebanese authorities have reportedly made progress in dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the south and are estimated to have seized most of the group’s weapons there, according to The Times of Israel.

Hezbollah began launching near-daily rocket attacks into Israel on October 8, 2023 — a day after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 in southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. The Times of Israel stated that the attacks by Hezbollah were unprovoked.

The rocket fire displaced nearly 60,000 residents from northern Israel. In response, Israel launched intensified military operations in Lebanon in September to ensure safe return of its citizens, which resulted in two months of open conflict with Hezbollah. According to The Times of Israel, these operations severely weakened the group’s leadership. (ANI)