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Hezbollah says Israel killed 3 civilians in Lebanon

Hezbollah overnight accused Israel of a "flagrant" ceasefire breach, saying it launched a drone and killed three civilians in southern Lebanon.

The group said the strike was a "direct attack" on "civilians," while Israel had earlier said it had killed fighters from Hezbollah ranks.

Hezbollah said it was the third "flagrant violation" by Israel "of the ceasefire to which it has committed itself so far".

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency earlier said "three people were killed and one person was wounded when an enemy drone targeted a... vehicle on the road between Zawtar and Mayfadoun".

It was the third deadly incident since Tuesday, bringing the number of people killed in Israeli attacks this week to at least seven.

The Israeli army later said that its soldiers "identified five Hezbollah terrorists who posed a threat to them" in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah.

In a another incident, it added, they "identified an armed Hezbollah terrorist" around the strategic Ali al-Taher Ridge.

"Following the identifications, the Israeli Air Force and the ground forces fired toward the terrorists and eliminated them to remove the threat," it said.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in U S.-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground offensive that Lebanon says have killed more than 4,100 people.

A new ceasefire was declared in Lebanon after Israeli attacks there threatened to derail talks between the United States and Iran to end the wider Middle East war.

While the fighting has diminished significantly in recent days, it has not abated completely.

Source: Agence France Presse


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