Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills one: ministry

An Israeli strike on southern Lebanon killed one person on Friday, the health ministry in Beirut said, a day after raids that Israel said had targeted the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, usually saying it is targeting members of the group or its infrastructure.

In a statement, the health ministry said an "Israeli enemy strike" on a vehicle in Mansuri in south Lebanon killed one person.

It also said that a strike on Mayfadun in south Lebanon the previous night killed one person.

Israel said Thursday's attack killed a Hezbollah member it alleged "took part in attempts to reestablish Hezbollah's infrastructure in the Zawtar al-Sharqiyah area", also in south Lebanon.

The attacks come a week after Lebanon's military said it had completed disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River, the first phase of a nationwide plan, although Israel has called those efforts insufficient.

On Thursday, Israel carried out several strikes against eastern Lebanon's Bekaa region, north of the Litani, after issuing warnings to evacuate.

United Nations peacekeepers, deployed in south Lebanon, said on Friday that an Israeli drone "dropped a grenade" on its troops.

They later said an Israeli tank fired "approximately 30 small-calibre bullets" on one of their positions in Kfarshuba, near the border.

"The bullets hit a sentry post and one penetrated one of the position's living accommodations, probably after ricocheting. Fortunately, the occupant was not present when the bullet entered, and no one was hurt," the statement read.

"We remind the (Israeli army) of its obligation to ensure the safety of peacekeepers and to cease activities that endanger them and their positions."

On Monday, the peacekeeping force said an Israeli tank fired near its troops, and warned that such incidents were becoming "disturbingly common".