Israeli strikes killed 16 people in Lebanon on Saturday, hours after a truce took effect, with Israel saying it was responding to attacks from Hezbollah and the Iran-backed group saying it would not allow Israel “freedom of movement” in Lebanon.
A halt to fighting in Lebanon is a condition for starting 60 days of United States (US)-Iranian talks on Tehran’s nuclear program and other issues key to forging a more durable deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stabilize global oil supplies. It was not clear when those talks might begin.
Wednesday’s interim US-Iran deal requires both countries and their allies to stop military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.
But Israel, left out of the talks, says it is not party to the deal, and will keep its forces in the Lebanese territory it occupies.
A US official had said the truce took effect at 4 pm on Friday, and Israeli and Hezbollah sources confirmed the agreement to Reuters.
Lebanon’s state news agency NNA said Israeli warplanes and drones struck locations across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Saturday, both Hezbollah strongholds.
Lebanon’s Civil Defence service said 16 people were killed in the raids.
An Israeli military official said Hezbollah fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight, and that Israel had attacked what it described as Hezbollah targets in response. A military statement added that Israel was committed to the ceasefire and would continue to act against any threat to Israel or its forces.
A Hezbollah statement said its fighters had confronted Israeli forces trying to infiltrate the Ali al-Taher hill area in southern Lebanon overnight and had inflicted casualties. A senior Hezbollah official told Reuters the group would not allow Israeli forces freedom of movement in Lebanese territory.
The Hezbollah statement said the group remained committed to the ceasefire but would respond to any attempt by Israel to seize territory or expand its occupation.
Lebanon was drawn into the regional war when Hezbollah attacked Israel after the US and Israel began their war on Iran. Israel responded with an offensive against Hezbollah that included invading south Lebanon.
One of the deadliest Israeli strikes on Saturday hit a three-storey residential building in the town of Barish in the Tyre district, killing a father, a mother and their two children, a town official said.
The Lebanese army said an Israeli strike had also killed a soldier on the Kfarrumman-Nabatieh road.
Israel’s Arabic-language military Spokesperson said calm and stability could be achieved if Hezbollah ceased what she described as hostile activities and violations of agreements.
She said Israel’s presence in Lebanon was intended to remove threats, not to harm Lebanese civilians.
Lebanon’s health ministry says 3 912 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including medics, women and children. It does not say how many combatants are among the dead.
Israel says at least 32 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed in the conflict with Hezbollah.
–Reuters–
