Israeli drone strike kills 1, injures 12 in southern Lebanon
Attack comes as 2nd round of Rome talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials concluded
An Israeli drone strike killed one Lebanese civilian and wounded 12 others on Wednesday in the southern town of Tebnine, while families fled the nearby town of Mansouri after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning amid renewed escalation.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said one person was killed and 11 others were wounded in an Israeli strike that hit the roof of a prayer hall in the town's cemetery.
The agency later cited a Health Ministry statement saying the Israeli strike on Tebnine, in the Bint Jbeil district, killed one person and injured 12 others.
The attack came as the second round of new Rome talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials concluded.
Earlier, the agency reported casualties after an Israeli drone struck the town, triggering fires and the explosion of Israeli unexploded ordnance.
Separately, the agency said about 15 civilian families remaining in the southern village of Mansouri left after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning earlier in the day.
The warning, the first in nearly six weeks, came before the Israeli army announced it had begun what it described as “precise strikes” in southern Lebanon in response to alleged Hezbollah ceasefire violations.
The Israeli announcement followed the detonation of an explosive device near an Israeli force in the Majdal Zoun area of southern Lebanon.
Israeli media reported that the blast caused casualties among the troops and that four seriously wounded soldiers were evacuated by military helicopter to Rambam Hospital.
The Israeli military did not immediately release an official casualty toll.
Separately, the agency said Israeli forces ignited fires in the forests of the Shmeis area on the outskirts of Kfar Shouba, raising concerns that the blaze could spread due to strong winds and high temperatures.
The attacks came despite a US-brokered framework agreement signed by Beirut and Tel Aviv on June 26 calling for a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army and the disarmament of armed groups, in an apparent reference to Hezbollah.
Wednesday's meeting in the Italian capital marked day two of the second round of negotiations hosted by Rome. Five previous rounds were held in Washington as part of a US-sponsored process.
According to Lebanon's Health Ministry, Israel's military campaign in Lebanon since March 2 has killed 4,333 people and injured 12,250 others.
Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, including territory seized decades ago and areas captured during the 2023-2024 war. It has also advanced more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory during its current offensive.
