غارات إسرائيلية تقتل 9 في جنوب لبنان وحزب الله يطلق صواريخ على شمال إسرائيل

Published 18 minutes ago Reading time: 4 minutes

Lebanese authorities announced that Israeli raids resulted in the deaths of at least nine people in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, while Hezbollah announced the launch of rockets at northern Israel.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that among the dead were two paramedics whose ambulance was targeted in an airstrike in the Shihour area in the south of the country. Another car was also targeted south of Beirut.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced the interception of a drone and two projectiles that crossed the border. Hezbollah announced that it had targeted a gathering of Israeli forces.

These incidents tested the partial ceasefire reached on Monday, which stipulates, according to Lebanon, that Israel refrain from bombing the capital Beirut in exchange for Hezbollah not attacking Israel.

Israeli and Lebanese diplomats held a second round of talks in Washington on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen the agreement.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that he hopes to reach an "action plan to achieve security in Lebanon, separate from Hezbollah."

Lebanon became involved in the ongoing war between the United States, Israel, and Iran on March 2nd, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in response to an Israeli raid that killed the Supreme Leader of Iran. Israel responded with an air campaign on Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south.

The U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon on April 16th failed to stop the fighting, and last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli army to intensify its raids on Hezbollah and advance further into Lebanon in response to drone and rocket attacks on settlements in northern Israel.

Skip Most Read and continue reading

Most Read

End of Most Read

Skip Podcast and continue reading

Worth Noting

In-depth explanation of the most prominent events and topics, to help you understand the most important changes around you and their impact on your life

Episodes

End of Podcast

At least 3,516 people have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the war, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Its statistics do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.

The United Nations says more than a million people have registered as displaced persons in Lebanon, as Israeli evacuation orders cover more than an eighth of the country's area.

Israel says 26 Israeli soldiers and four Israeli civilians have been killed on both sides of the border during the war.

Lebanese media reported Israeli airstrikes on various areas in the south of the country on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Health announced the deaths of four Syrians and two Palestinians in an airstrike that targeted the Al-Housh area, south of the coastal city of Tyre.

The ministry also reported that two paramedics were killed and a third was seriously injured when Israeli forces directly targeted an ambulance in the Shihour area, about 14 kilometers to the east.

The ambulance belonged to the Risala Scout Association, affiliated with the Amal movement, an ally of Hezbollah.

The ministry accused the Israeli army of "disregard for international humanitarian law," which specifically protects the rights of medical personnel.

The Ministry of Health reported that at least 128 paramedics and healthcare workers have been killed in Israeli attacks targeting ambulances and medical facilities over the past three months.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army. It had previously claimed that ambulances were used for military purposes, without providing any evidence.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese army announced the death of one of its soldiers in an Israeli airstrike on the road between Nabatieh and Kfar Tibnit, about 27 kilometers northeast of Tyre.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that his motorcycle was targeted by a drone.

The army reported the injury of two other Lebanese soldiers in a separate Israeli airstrike that targeted their vehicle on the road between Deir Zahrani and Nabatieh.

The army condemned what it described as a "pattern of deliberate raids targeting army personnel, vehicles, and positions" by Israeli forces.

The National News Agency also reported an Israeli raid on a car on the busy coastal road in the Khaldah area, south of Beirut. The statement did not indicate any casualties, but security sources told Reuters that two people were injured.

This was the closest airstrike to the capital since the partial ceasefire was announced.

Also on Wednesday, the Israeli army announced the interception of a hostile aircraft that crossed the border near the areas of Al-Manara and Kiryat Shmona, about 15 kilometers south of Nabatieh, as well as two projectiles that crossed the border in the adjacent Masgav Am area.

The Israeli army did not immediately accuse Hezbollah, but the party later stated that "in response to the Israeli army's violation of the ceasefire," its fighters targeted "a gathering of Israeli army soldiers" in northern Israel with a barrage of rockets.

Earlier, the party announced carrying out drone raids on Israeli forces operating in the areas of Al-Adeisa, East Zoutar, and Yahmar Al-Shaqaf in southern Lebanon.

Israeli leaders have warned that their army will resume raids on Hezbollah's stronghold in the southern suburb of Beirut, known as the Dahiya, if the party launches cross-border attacks on northern Israeli settlements.

According to the Lebanese government, the partial ceasefire agreement reached on Monday stipulates that "Israel will not launch a large-scale attack on Beirut in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from launching attacks against Israel."

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire agreement, which on Wednesday seemed to confirm a report that it was reached after he called Netanyahu "crazy" in a profanity-filled phone call, following the Prime Minister's order to bomb the Lebanese capital.

Trump said on The New York Post's "Pod Force One" podcast: "I was a little upset about his ongoing conflict with Lebanon. At one point, I said, 'Baby [Netanyahu], we have to stop this.'"