ISTANBUL

Israeli drones flew at low altitude over the Lebanese capital of Beirut and the southern suburb on Wednesday, the state-run National News Agency reported.

There were no reports of these drones being used to target a specific area, nor were there any details about casualties or damage.

The development came after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday called for an immediate halt to Israeli attacks, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, and the release of Lebanese prisoners.

His remarks followed an Israeli drone strike on Sunday that killed five people, including three children, in southern Lebanon, the Health Ministry said.

A ceasefire was reached in November 2024 following a year-long cycle of cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel that began in October 2023. The conflict escalated into a full-scale Israeli offensive by September 2024, resulting in more than 4,000 deaths and around 17,000 injuries.

Under the terms of the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 2025. However, it has so far only partially pulled out troops and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.