Israel said on Thursday that its ceasefire with Hezbollah was breached hours after Lebanese security sources said Israeli tanks attacked six areas of southern Lebanon, calling into question a truce reached after more than a year of fighting.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday under a deal brokered by the U.S. and France, intended to allow people in both countries to start returning to homes in border areas shattered by 14 months of fighting.
The Israeli military said the ceasefire was violated after what it called suspects, some in vehicles, arrived at several areas in the southern zone.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah accused Israel of attacking people returning to their villages in south Lebanon. The Israeli military has urged residents of towns along the border strip not to return yet for their own safety.
Israeli tank fire hit six areas within that border strip on Thursday morning, striking Markaba, Wazzani and Kfarchouba, Khiyam, Taybe and the agricultural plains around Marjayoun, state media and Lebanese security sources said.
All of the areas lie within two kilometres of the Blue Line demarcating the border between Lebanon and Israel. One of the security sources said two people were wounded in Markaba.
Lebanese families displaced from their homes near the southern border have tried to return to check on their properties. But Israeli troops remain stationed within Lebanese territory in towns along the border and Reuters reporters heard surveillance drones flying over parts of southern Lebanon.
There was no immediate comment on the tank rounds from Iran-backed Hezbollah or Israel, who had been fighting for over a year in parallel with the Gaza war.
The agreement, a rare diplomatic feat in a region racked by conflict, ended the deadliest confrontation between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in years. But Israel is still fighting its other arch foe, the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in the Gaza Strip.
Under the ceasefire terms, Israeli forces can take up to 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon but neither side can launch offensive operations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military not to allow residents back to villages near the border.
Lebanon's speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, the top interlocutor for Lebanon in negotiating the deal, had said on Wednesday that residents could return home.
Hezbollah has said its fighters "remain fully equipped to deal with the aspirations and assaults of the Israeli enemy." Its forces will monitor Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon "with their hands on the trigger".
The group has been weakened by casualties and the killing of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders by Israel.
The Lebanese army has sent troops to southern Lebanon on Wednesday. It's part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah aimed at de-escalating tensions.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, effective this morning, aims to end 14 months of conflict. Brokered by the U.S. and France, it calls for a two-month pause, with both sides withdrawing to their borders.
World leaders have reacted to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, which came into effect this morning. Many have expressed hope that the deal will bring greater stability to the region and encourage further diplomatic efforts.
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New Delhi, the capital city of India, continues to be shrouded in toxic smog. The air quality index (AQI) in the capital has surpassed already severe levels, sparking widespread concern among residents.
Chinese vessels gather near Philippines' Thitu Island in the South China Sea, raising regional tensions. Manila monitors the "illegal presence," while analysts suggest Beijing may be testing reactions amid domestic Philippine political strife.
Tensions escalated in Belgrade on Wednesday, November 27, as clashes broke out between pro- and anti-government protesters. The unrest follows widespread public anger after the tragic collapse of a canopy at a railway station earlier this month, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people.
New Delhi, the capital city of India, continues to be shrouded in toxic smog. The air quality index (AQI) in the capital has surpassed already severe levels, sparking widespread concern among residents.
Chinese vessels gather near Philippines' Thitu Island in the South China Sea, raising regional tensions. Manila monitors the "illegal presence," while analysts suggest Beijing may be testing reactions amid domestic Philippine political strife.
Tensions escalated in Belgrade on Wednesday, November 27, as clashes broke out between pro- and anti-government protesters. The unrest follows widespread public anger after the tragic collapse of a canopy at a railway station earlier this month, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people.
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