Israel strikes south of Beirut ahead of ceasefire talks

3,468 people have been killed and displaced 1.2 million people in Lebanon in the latest round of Israel and Hezbollah fighting.

Beirut: An Israeli strike on Wednesday hit a vehicle on a busy highway just south of Beirut, occurring shortly before the second day of ceasefire negotiations in Washington. The strike in Khaldeh occurred without prior warning, and it remains unclear if the targeted individual survived. Israel typically claims these drone operations target members of the Hezbollah militant group.

On Monday, Israel and Lebanon reached a US-brokered agreement intended to de-escalate hostilities, specifically prohibiting strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, requiring Hezbollah to cease its attacks on northern Israel. 

This deal followed an Israeli announcement about plann­ed strikes across urban neighbourhoods near the Lebanese capital. While the US State Dept reported progress during the first day of talks on Tuesday, military activity remains high.

OVERNIGHT STRIKES LEAVE 6 people DEAD

Following the Khaldeh strike, the Israeli military reported intercepting a hostile aircraft from southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israeli bombardments continue to impact the cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh. Overnight, strikes near Tyre resulted in the deaths of four Syrians and two Palestinians. 

In response to Israeli warnings that Hezbollah members were sheltering in Christian neighbourhoods in Tyre, the Lebanese army has deployed troops to the district to prevent further attacks and demonstrate that Hezbollah maintains no armed presence there.

—AP