An Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon on Sunday killed five people, including three children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry has confirmed.
The attack also left two others wounded, including the family’s mother.
The Israeli military stated its target was a Hezbollah militant who “operated from within a civilian population,” acknowledging that civilians were killed and confirming it was reviewing the incident.
Israel routinely claims to target Hezbollah militants or infrastructure in the country’s southern region.
While Hezbollah has only admitted to one cross-border firing since the ceasefire, Israel maintains the militant group is attempting to rebuild its capabilities.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri asserted that four of the deceased – the three children and their father – held US citizenship.
However, the US State Department countered, stating that none of the five appeared to be US citizens.
“While the situation is fluid, so far, indications are that the five killed were not U.S. citizens. In fact, one had an unused immigrant visa petition in the past,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November to conclude Israel’s months-long conflict with Hezbollah, Israel has continued to conduct almost daily strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials have warned that the ongoing strikes risk the country’s recent efforts to disarm the group and could destabilize the country. Hezbollah has maintained that it no longer has a military presence south of the Litani River, and has refused to speak of disarmament without Israel stopping its attacks and withdrawing from southern Lebanese territory.
President Joseph Aoun, who earlier landed in New York ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, condemned the strike and called on the international community to pressure Israel to stop. Aoun, alongside Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, endorsed an agreement last month that would gradually disarm Hezbollah.
The monthslong war between Hezbollah and Israel killed some 4,000 people in Lebanon and displaced residents across southern and eastern Lebanon.
Hezbollah officials say the ongoing strikes justify their refusal to give up their arms, and claim that the ceasefire agreement and monitoring mechanism with the United States, France, and United Nations peacekeeping forces is ineffective.
Under the Washington-brokered ceasefire, both the militant Hezbollah group and Israel were supposed to withdraw their forces from southern Lebanon and halt strikes against each other. Israeli forces have continue to occupy five Lebanese hilltop points by the border
