Israel’s defense minister has asserted that the military responded to stray gunfire originating from Lebanon, following reports from Lebanese state media and the health ministry indicating four fatalities due to Israeli strikes in the southern region.
“The Israeli enemy’s strike this evening on the town of Ainata resulted in the deaths of two individuals,” announced Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA), referencing the emergency service of the health ministry.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later stated that the military targeted Ainata after “a stray bullet from a Hezbollah operative’s funeral” hit the windshield of a vehicle in the northern Israeli community of Avivim.
“We cannot permit gunfire from Lebanese territory directed at northern communities – we will respond decisively to any violation of the ceasefire,” Mr. Katz declared.
Previously, Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed one death resulting from an Israeli strike on Mais al-Jabal, while the NNA reported another fatality in Bint Jbeil.
The agency noted that an Israeli drone executed “a strike on a vehicle in the town of Mais al-Jabal, leading to one fatality”.
The NNA reported that this was the third Israeli strike in southern Lebanon within 24 hours.
The health ministry also mentioned that an Israeli drone strike killed one person and injured another when it targeted a four-wheel-drive vehicle near Yater in the Bint Jbeil district around 2 a.m., as noted by the NNA.
“The Israeli enemy’s airstrike on a vehicle in the town of Yater resulted in the martyrdom of a citizen and the injury of another,” stated the ministry in a declaration carried by the agency.
Detainees released
Israel’s military claimed responsibility for the deaths of two Hezbollah members in two separate strikes in Lebanon.
“Earlier today, the IDF struck and eliminated two Hezbollah operatives who were involved in surveillance and in directing terrorist attacks in the areas of Yatar and Meiss El Jabal in southern Lebanon,” the statement read.
This follows a report from Lebanon’s health ministry that indicated one individual was killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the southern border town of Burj al-Muluk.
Following that operation, the Israeli military asserted that it “targeted a Hezbollah terrorist involved in terrorist activities in the area of Kfarkela in southern Lebanon”.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military stated it conducted a strike in southern Lebanon that resulted in the death of a senior Hezbollah militant.
This occurred as Lebanon welcomed the return of four detainees who had been taken to Israel during confrontations with Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, while a fifth detainee, a soldier, was released on Thursday after being captured earlier this month.
A ceasefire on November 27 largely halted over a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which included two months of intense warfare where Israel deployed ground troops in Lebanon.
Since the ceasefire took effect, Israel has continued to conduct periodic attacks on Lebanese territory.
Israel was scheduled to withdraw from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but has maintained troops at five locations that it deems “strategic”.
The ceasefire agreement also mandated that Hezbollah retreat northward of the Litani River, approximately 30km from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the southern region.
