Israeli Strike Kills Two in South Lebanon as Defense Minister Vows No Withdrawal
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that two people were killed when an Israeli drone targeted their vehicle near the town of Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – An Israeli drone strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed two people on Wednesday, according to Lebanese state media, amid rising tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border despite an existing ceasefire agreement.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that two people were killed when an Israeli drone targeted their vehicle near the town of Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military said it had targeted "two armed Hezbollah terrorists in the area of Ali al-Taher Ridge" near the city of Nabatieh, claiming the individuals posed an immediate threat. The military added that it would continue operations to eliminate threats against Israel.
The strike came a day after Israeli gunfire reportedly killed two people in southern Lebanon, an incident that Hezbollah condemned as a violation of the truce between the two sides.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that Israel would not withdraw from areas under its control in southern Lebanon, even if requested to do so by the United States.
Speaking in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Katz said Israeli authorities would not permit nearly 200,000 displaced Lebanese residents to return to their homes in southern Lebanon, citing security concerns and past experiences in buffer zones where Israeli forces were targeted with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
He stressed that Israel's position regarding its military presence in southern Lebanon remained unchanged and that Israeli troops would continue to hold the areas currently under their control.
Katz also issued a direct warning to Yemen's Houthi movement, stating that Israel had "unfinished business" with the group. He warned that the Houthis would face a heavy price and vowed to eliminate the group's leader if he came within Israel's reach.
The remarks come as discussions continue between Israel and Lebanon over a pilot initiative that could see portions of territory currently held by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon transferred to the Lebanese Army, in an effort to reduce tensions along the border.