1 killed in Israeli drone strike on southern Lebanon

ISTANBUL

An Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed one person Saturday, according to Lebanese state media, while Israel claimed it targeted a Hezbollah member despite the ceasefire.

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said an Israeli drone struck a vehicle on the outskirts of the town of Rab Thalathine in the Marjayoun district.

The news agency said the strike killed a man who was carrying out maintenance work on the roof of a nearby house.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it carried out a strike against a Hezbollah operative in the area of Markaba, also in the Marjayoun district, without providing further details.

Hezbollah did not comment on the Israeli claim.

The strike comes amid repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement reached with Lebanon in late Nov. 2024, under which Israel has said it continues to target what it describes as Hezbollah infrastructure.

Israeli ceasefire violations have killed and wounded hundreds of Lebanese, while Israel continues to occupy five Lebanese hilltops seized during the latest war, in addition to other Lebanese areas it has held for decades.

Israel began military operations against Lebanon in Oct. 2023 and escalated them into a full-scale war in September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people and wounding about 17,000 others.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio