Smoke rises from the site of a series of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of al-Katrani. AFP
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the strikes stretched from Mount Rihan in the south to the northeastern Hermel region along the border with Syria. Shortly afterward, a drone strike targeted a car near the southern town of Taybeh, causing casualties, NNA reported.
Despite the ceasefire, which was meant to end the Israeli war on Lebanon, Israel has repeatedly carried out strikes and continues to occupy five southern areas of the country.
The attacks come ahead of a meeting of the ceasefire monitoring committee, which includes the United States, France, and the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along the border. It will be the second meeting of the mechanism since Israel and Lebanon appointed civilian members to the previously military-only committee.
In Paris, Lebanon’s army commander, Gen. Rodolph Haikal, is scheduled to meet with U.S., French, and Saudi officials to discuss ways of supporting the army’s mission to bolster its presence along the border. The Lebanese government has said it aims to clear all armed Hezbollah presence from the area south of the Litani River by the end of the year.
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, Israeli strikes killed two people, including one 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Beirut. According to an AFP tally of health ministry reports, around 340 people have been killed by Israeli attacks on Lebanon since the ceasefire went into effect.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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