BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli forces conducted a drone attack Wednesday on a vehicle traveling along a major roadway south of Beirut, occurring just hours before the continuation of ceasefire negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Washington.
The attack in Khaldeh occurred without advance notice, and officials could not immediately confirm whether the targeted individual was killed. Israeli forces typically state they are targeting Hezbollah militant group members in such drone operations.
Lebanon and Israel established a U.S.-mediated deal on Monday in which Israeli forces agreed to halt strikes on Beirut’s southern neighborhoods while Hezbollah committed to stopping attacks on northern Israeli territory. This arrangement came just hours after Israeli officials announced plans to conduct strikes throughout the densely populated urban areas near Lebanon’s capital, which would have represented the heaviest bombardment since a temporary ceasefire took effect on April 17.
The State Department reported that meaningful progress occurred during Tuesday’s initial round of discussions. Lebanese officials are seeking to expand the ceasefire agreement to encompass the entire nation. Israeli leadership demands the immediate disarmament of Hezbollah before ending military operations in Lebanon and removing forces from numerous villages and towns.
Shortly following the Khaldeh attack, Israeli military officials announced they had intercepted what they described as a hostile aircraft approaching from southern Lebanon, though they did not immediately attribute it to Hezbollah. Hezbollah has not taken responsibility for any cross-border attacks since the agreement was reached.
Israeli military operations continued across southern Lebanon, particularly in and surrounding the damaged cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh. During overnight strikes, two attacks near Tyre resulted in the deaths of four Syrians and two Palestinians.
Israeli forces issued overnight warnings to Christian communities in the coastal city of Tyre that Hezbollah operatives were present among them. Numerous Lebanese Shiite Muslims had relocated to these areas recently because they had been protected from aerial attacks along the Mediterranean coastline.
Following the warning, Lebanese military forces moved into Tyre’s Christian district to prevent potential Israeli attacks and demonstrate that Hezbollah maintains no armed presence in the region.
Israeli ground forces began an invasion of southern Lebanon following the outbreak of the current conflict on March 2, when Iran-supported Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israeli territory in solidarity with Iran. Israeli military units have advanced further into Lebanese territory over recent days, while Hezbollah continues to claim responsibility for rocket and drone strikes.
The current fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has resulted in 3,468 deaths in Lebanon and forced 1.2 million people from their homes. According to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at least 27 Israeli soldiers and one defense contractor have died in or near southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.
Among the 27 casualties was a soldier in southern Lebanon, whose death was reported late Monday by Israeli military officials. They noted that seven additional soldiers were wounded in the same incident, with three suffering severe injuries.
Hezbollah’s deployment of difficult-to-detect fiber-optic drones has proven lethal against Israeli military forces, who are finding it challenging to counter these weapons.
