Drone Strike Tragedy: Rising Tensions in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike claimed the lives of five people, including three children, in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, as confirmed by Lebanon's health ministry on Sunday.

Despite a U.S.-brokered truce between Lebanon and Israel from November, Israel has persistently targeted suspected Hezbollah positions. This particular strike targeted a motorbike and a vehicle, resulting in injuries to two other individuals, according to Lebanon's state news agency.

Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri identified the deceased as a father and his three children, with the mother wounded. Although reports suggested U.S. ties, the U.S. State Department clarified the involved individuals were not U.S. citizens. The Israeli military acknowledged the death of a Hezbollah member but reported collateral civilian casualties, expressing regret and noting that the incident is under review.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced the attack as a "blatant crime against civilians," accusing it of intimidating citizens returning to the south. Lebanon faces international pressure to address Hezbollah's armament, a move the group considers unacceptable amid continued Israeli airstrikes.

(With inputs from agencies.)