An Israeli drone strike against a vehicle in southern Lebanon left three people dead and one injured on Thursday, according to state media, despite a lull in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
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It brings to seven the number of deaths since Tuesday in Israeli attacks, while direct negotiations are being held between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, the first in decades.
Hezbollah reported a “direct attack” against “civilians” and denounced “for the third time (…) a flagrant violation” by Israel of the ceasefire to which the pro-Iranian group “has committed until now”.
The Israeli army, which occupies part of southern Lebanon, for its part claimed to have killed fighters from this Lebanese Shiite organization supported by Iran.
According to a military statement, its soldiers “identified five fighters” in two distinct sectors, who represented “a threat” and were “eliminated” by air and ground forces.
Hostilities on the Lebanese front resumed at the beginning of March after Hezbollah fired shots towards Israel, launched in support of Iran targeted by an Israeli-American offensive.
The Israeli army then carried out large-scale strikes in Lebanon and deployed troops. It now occupies what it calls a “security zone” about ten kilometers deep from the border, supposed to protect the inhabitants of northern Israel.
“We will not withdraw our forces from southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains a threat, it will not be disarmed,” David Mencer, spokesperson for the Israeli government, repeated to the press on Thursday.
The Iranian-American memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 provides for the cessation of hostilities, including in Lebanon.
In parallel with negotiations between Americans and Iranians, Israel and Lebanon are holding direct discussions under American mediation.
A fifth round of talks began this week and is scheduled to conclude Thursday in Washington.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday of progress in these talks, which Hezbollah opposes.
