Israeli aircraft struck five targets in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, the government said, killing nine people in total. The casualties included two ambulance staff who were killed when an ambulance from the Risala Scouts Association was struck in the Chehour area.
Lebanese authorities also reported a car hit just south of Beirut, while a drone and two projectiles were intercepted by Israeli forces at the border. Hezbollah announced that it had fired rockets into northern Israel in response to what it described as a violation of the partial ceasefire that was brokered earlier this week.
The ceasefire, signed on Monday, calls for Israel to stop bombings of Beirut in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from attacks on Israel. However, the recent airstrikes have strained the agreement, leading to further diplomatic efforts in Washington and comments from U.S. officials urging a clearer security plan for Lebanon independent of Hezbollah.
The fighting between Israel and Lebanon began on 2 March following a wave of Hezbollah rocket attacks. Since then, Israeli air campaigns have targeted alleged militant sites, while Hezbollah has continued to launch strikes across the border. The conflict has left more than 3 500 Lebanese dead, including both combatants and civilians, and pushed a million people to flee or seek shelter.
In addition to the recent casualties, the Lebanese health ministry said the blast in the Nabatieh area left a dead toll that included six members of one family, and a funeral was held in Wardaniyeh for the six. The ministry also highlighted that 128 paramedics and health workers had been killed in attacks on medical facilities over the last three months.
Israeli officials have not commented definitively on the strikes, citing ongoing investigations. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has demanded that another strike not be launched on Beirut if the group were to be allowed to defend itself against Israeli military presence.
The situation remains tense as the two sides weigh the risks of escalation against the potential for a lasting ceasefire agreement that includes all parties in the region.
