Israeli Drone Strikes Kill Six in Nabatieh, Target Hezbollah Operatives Near Zawtar

Israeli drone strikes in Lebanon’s southern Nabatieh district killed six people and wounded two others on Thursday, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported, with the first strike hitting a vehicle near the town of Zawtar and killing three and the second striking a car in Maifadoun and killing three more while injuring one.

“An Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon has killed at least two people despite fighting between Israel and Hezbollah quieting down in recent days after demands by both the United States and Iran for a ceasefire”

Al Jazeera

Shafaq News said the Israeli military claimed it targeted two armed Hezbollah members near Ali al-Taher hill, alleging they posed a threat to Israeli forces operating in what it describes as the security zone.

Al Jazeera

In parallel, Al Jazeera reported that an Israeli drone strike on the Tallat al-Dabsha road near Kfar Reman in the Nabatieh district killed at least two people, and that Israel later targeted the outskirts of the town of Yater in the Bint Jbeil area with artillery shells.

Al Jazeera also said Israel claimed it “struck” two people who crossed a “security zone” in the area, without providing evidence, while Lebanese politicians continued to insist it is essential that Israeli troops leave Lebanese territory and cease their attacks for the ceasefire to hold.

Hezbollah accused Israel of truce violations after an Israeli drone killed two people near the town of Kfar Rumman, with Arab News PK quoting Hezbollah saying it was another “violation” of a truce between the two sides.

Arab News PK also reported Hezbollah’s statement that “For the second time in less than 48 hours, the Israeli enemy army deliberately targeted Lebanese citizens who were inspecting their homes” near Kfar Rumman.

Arab News PK

Al Jazeera reported that Hezbollah described the strike as a “flagrant violation” of the ceasefire agreement and said it remains committed to the agreement for now.

Al Jazeera added that Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military will not withdraw from Lebanon “even if there is an American demand,” and that he said “200,000 residents will not return” speaking to The Times of Israel about people forcibly displaced from southern Lebanon.

France 24 reported that Israeli and Lebanese negotiators in Washington are discussing a US-backed pilot project under which Israeli troops would hand back control over some territory in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

France 24 said the talks include discussion of a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces to hand over territory they invaded during the war with Hezbollah, with Israeli officials saying Lebanese troops would undergo US training and vetting and that Israel would maintain a military presence in a buffer zone along the border.

Al Jazeera said UN peacekeepers reported no missile trajectories or air strikes from midnight to 4pm local time on Wednesday, while Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said UNIFIL “observed ongoing Israeli airspace violations, mostly by drones”.

Al Jazeera also reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “the only reason Israel is in Lebanon is because Hezbollah launches rockets and drones from there,” and that he argued that “The more of that area the Lebanese armed forces is able to secure, the less of it’s in Hezbollah’s control, the less Israel will be in Lebanon,” as negotiations continued in Washington.