Israeli forces kill one person in South Lebanon as residents try to return, Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Reuters
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Israeli forces killed one person and wounded 17 others trying to return home in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops remained on the ground after a deadline for their withdrawal passed on Sunday, Lebanon’s health ministry said.
Israel said it intended to keep troops in the south beyond the Sunday deadline stipulated in the US ceasefire that halted last year’s war with Hezbollah, and on Saturday ordered residents not to return until further notice.
The deal stipulated that Israeli forces should withdraw from South Lebanon while Iranian-backed Hezbollah weapons and fighters are removed from the area and the Lebanese Army deployed, within a 60-day deadline that ended Sunday morning.
Israel, however, said the conditions had been fully implemented by the Lebanese state, while the Lebanon-backed army accused Israel on Saturday of delaying its withdrawal.
Lebanon’s health ministry said one person was killed and nine others wounded in the village of Houla as a result of what it said were Israeli attacks on citizens as they tried to enter their still-occupied towns.
Another eight people were injured in KFAR Kila, it was stated.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment.
Israel has not said how long its forces will remain in the south, where the Israeli military says it has seized Hezbollah weapons and dismantled its infrastructure.
The Hezbollah-Israeli conflict was fought in parallel with the war in Gaza, and culminated in a major Israeli offensive against Hezbollah that killed more than a million people in Lebanon and left the militant group badly weakened.
