Since then, Israeli strikes have pummelled Lebanon’s south, east and its capital Beirut, killing more than 3,200 people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Fighting has continued in southern Lebanon despite a US-brokered ceasefire announced on April 16. The World Health Organization has said at least 608 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli attacks since the truce. The Israeli military said that 10 of its soldiers had been killed since the April 16 ceasefire, six of them by Hezbollah’s explosive drones. The Israeli military
expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon past a security zone its troops are occupying, but gave no details on the extent of the advance beyond the so-called Yellow Line. The Lebanese capital Beirut has been spared new strikes, although Israeli surveillance drones are heard buzzing above the city every day and a warplane was heard flying low on Wednesday, according to Reuters reporters there. Three senior Israeli officials said Israel believes it has freedom of action in southern Lebanon but less so in Beirut.
The officials told Reuters that Israel does not want to be seen as derailing US President Donald Trump’s potential deal with Iran by knocking down buildings in the Lebanese capital. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
Israel, southern Lebanon, combat zone, evacuations, April 16 ceasefire, Hezbollah explosive drones, Beirut, Yellow Line, World Health Organization, Lebanon health ministry