Lebanon reports 3 killed in strike drone strike on south

BEIRUT: An Israeli strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed three people on Thursday, Lebanese state media reported, while Israel’s army said it had targeted Hezbollah operatives in two incidents in the south.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said “three people were killed and one person was wounded when an enemy drone targeted a... vehicle on the road between Zawtar and Mayfadoun.”
Hezbollah accused Israel of a “flagrant” ceasefire breach, saying the drone had killed three civilians.
It was the third deadly incident since Tuesday, bringing the number of people killed in Israeli attacks this week to at least seven.
The Israeli army later said that its soldiers “identified five Hezbollah terrorists who posed a threat to them” in Zawtar Al-Sharqiyah.
In a another incident, it added, they “identified an armed Hezbollah terrorist” around the strategic Ali Al-Taher Ridge.
“Following the identifications, the Israeli Air Force and the ground forces fired toward the terrorists and eliminated them to remove the threat,” it said.
In a separate statement, the Israeli military said a soldier was killed on Wednesday during “operational activity” in southern Lebanon.
A spokesman told AFP that he was killed when his vehicle overturned.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.
Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground offensive that Lebanon says have killed more than 4,100 people.
A new ceasefire was declared in Lebanon after Israeli attacks there threatened to derail talks between the United States and Iran to end the wider Middle East war.
While the fighting has diminished significantly in recent days, it has not abated completely.
In recent weeks, Israel and Lebanon have been engaging in direct talks in Washington, with the latest three-day round of negotiations due to wrap up on Thursday.
Commenting on the talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two neighbors were close to making a “commitment of intent.”