Israeli drone strike kills 1 in southern Lebanon

ANKARA

An Israeli drone strike on Friday targeted a car in southern Lebanon, killing one person, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA).

The vehicle was targeted on the Nmairiyeh–Sharqiyah road in Nabatieh, according to NNA, and the identity of the victim was not immediately disclosed.

There has been no immediate comment from the Israeli army regarding the strike.

Israel launched an assault on Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023 that escalated into a full-scale war by Sept. 23, 2024. The conflict has killed more than 4,000 people, wounded over 17,000 and displaced nearly 1.4 million, according to official data.

Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah’s activities despite a November ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The truce ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 231 people and injuries to more than 500 since the agreement was signed.

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 Tel Aviv refused to comply.

Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.