An Israeli drone strike in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil killed five people, including three children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Sunday, as Israeli attacks on its northern neighbour continue despite a US-brokered truce in place since November.

According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), the strike targeted a motorcycle and a vehicle, injuring two others. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri identified the children – Celine, Hadi, and Aseel – and their father as US citizens, though the US State Department disputed this, telling Reuters that preliminary information indicated none of the victims were American citizens.

Israel confirmed that one of those killed was a Hezbollah member but acknowledged civilian deaths in the strike. It has regularly targeted what it claims are Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon to prevent the Iran-backed group from rearming after last year’s war, which killed most of its senior leadership, including longtime chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, speaking from New York during the UN General Assembly, denounced the strike as a “massacre” and urged international pressure on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and respect the ceasefire. 

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also condemned the attack as “a blatant crime against civilians,” accusing Israel of trying to intimidate residents returning to their southern villages.

Berri questioned whether “Lebanese childhood poses an existential threat to the Israeli entity” or if Israel’s actions “constitute a real threat to international peace and security.” Labour Minister Mohamad Haidar accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians but vowed that such attacks would not break the resolve of southerners.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s army has presented a plan to disarm Hezbollah, though the group maintains it will keep its weapons as long as Israel continues its strikes and occupation in the south.

Source: Al Jazeera 

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