File photo: Ambulances transport the coffins of Hezbollah fighters and civilians killed in the recent war with Israel, during their funeral procession, along a war-devastated road in the southern Lebanese border village of Kfar Kila . AFP
The Israeli army claimed, in a statement, it has conducted "a precise intelligence-based strike in the area of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon,"' assassinating Hassan Abbas Ezzedine, the head of Hezbollah's aerial array in the Bader regional unit."
It said it carried out a second strike on Tuesday in the Froun area, targeting several resistance fighters.
Lebanon's official National News Agency reported that two people were killed in the Israeli strikes.
"An enemy Israeli drone strike targeting a car on the Deir El-Zahrani road resulted in one fatality," the news agency said, citing the health ministry.
It later reported that a second person was killed in an Israeli air strike on a vehicle in the Froun area.
Although a truce reached on November 27 largely ended more than a year of hostilities - including two months of full-scale war in which Israeli ground troops crossed the border - Israel has continued to launch periodic strikes in Lebanese territory.
Israel was initially expected to withdraw from Lebanon by February 18, after missing a January deadline, but it has maintained its occupation of five locations.
Border disputes
In a separate development on Tuesday, Israel announced it had agreed to release five Lebanese citizens detained during its war on the country.
"In coordination with the United States and as a gesture to Lebanon's new president, Israel has agreed to release five Lebanese detainees," a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's office said four of the captives had been freed on Tuesday and the fifth would follow on Wednesday.
Their release followed a meeting earlier Tuesday in the Lebanese border town of Naqoura, attended by representatives of Israel, Lebanon and mediators France and the United States.
"During the meeting, it was agreed to establish three joint working groups aimed at stabilising the region," the prime minister's statement said.
"These groups will focus on the five points controlled by Israel in southern Lebanon, discussions on the Blue Line and remaining disputed areas, and the issue of Lebanese detainees held by Israel."
The Blue Line is the UN-patrolled demarcation line that has served as de facto border since 2000.
In an interview with Lebanese news channel Al Jadeed, US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus emphasised Washington's efforts to resolve the border issue.
"We want to get a political resolution, finally, to the border disputes," Ortagus said.
"When it comes to the border agreement, the land border agreement, there are 13 points -- I think that six are still problematic," she said.
Ortagus said Israel had "withdrawn from over 99 percent of the territory".
"I feel fairly confident that... we can have final resolution on the five points and ultimately on the remaining issues related to the Blue Line".
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