LEBANON: At least 19 people were killed in Israeli air strikes targeting southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
The ministry said 10 people — including three women and three children — died when a residential house in the town of Deir Qanoun was struck. Three others, among them a young girl, were injured in the attack.
Lebanon became directly involved in the conflict on March 2 after the Iran-backed Shia armed group Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in response to joint US-Israeli strikes that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader.
The latest escalation comes less than a week after the United States announced that Lebanon and Israel had agreed to extend a ceasefire for an additional 45 days, with both sides expected to resume negotiations in early June.
Despite the ceasefire extension, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have continued, particularly in southern Lebanon.
Israel says its operations are aimed at Hezbollah targets, though civilian casualties — including women and children — have repeatedly been reported. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued launching rockets and drones at northern Israeli communities and Israeli forces stationed in parts of southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military also announced on Tuesday that one of its soldiers was killed in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon.
(Inputs from BBC)
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