2 Lebanese killed in fresh Israeli drone strikes despite ceasefire

By Fekry Abdeen and Betul Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) – Two people were killed in two Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, in the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement.

A Health Ministry statement said that one person died of wounds he sustained after an Israeli drone hit his bulldozer in the Bint Jbeil district of the Nabatieh province.

Another civilian was killed in another drone strike on his motorbike in the same province, the state news agency NNA reported.

According to NNA, Israeli drones have been flying since morning over Nabatieh and southern towns, including Zahrani, Ghazieh, Maghdouche, and Sidon.

The Israeli army confirmed the attacks, claiming that the strikes targeted two Hezbollah operatives in Nabatieh.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since November, which ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 217 victims and injuries to more than 500.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.