Beirut [Lebanon], September 22 : At least five people, including three children, were killed in an Israeli drone strike in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon's Health Ministry reported, as Israel continues operations in its neighbour despite a US-brokered truce that began in November.
Al Jazeera, citing Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA), reported on Sunday that the strike targeted a motorcycle and a vehicle, injuring two others.
Lebanon's Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, stated that the three children, Celine, Hadi, and Aseel, and their father were United States citizens. Their mother was also injured in the attack.
Israel added that civilians were among the casualties but said the strike had killed a member of the Hezbollah group.
Al Jazeera noted that Israel frequently targets Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, claiming it is trying to prevent the Iran-backed group from rebuilding its military strength after its war with Israel, which resulted in the deaths of most of Hezbollah's senior leadership, including longtime chief Hassan Nasrallah.
"Is it Lebanese childhood that poses an existential threat to the Israeli entity?" Berri questioned, according to NNA. "Or is it the behaviour of this entity, in killing without deterrence or accountability, that constitutes a real threat to international peace and security?"
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the attack as "a new massacre."
Al Jazeera reported that Salam, who previously served as the president of the International Court of Justice, said, "What happened is a blatant crime against civilians and a message of intimidation targeting our people returning to their villages in the south."
He added, "The international community must condemn Israel in the strongest terms for its repeated violations of international resolutions and international law."
Labour Minister Mohamad Haidar also claimed that Israel deliberately targets the Lebanese population that had returned to the south after more than a year of conflict sparked by Israel's war on Gaza.
"This plan will not succeed, because the will of the people of the south is stronger than the criminal machine," Haidar said.
Al Jazeera reported that the US and Saudi Arabia, along with Hezbollah's opponents in Lebanon, have been pressuring the Shia group to disarm. Earlier this month, Lebanon's army presented a plan to the government to begin disarming Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is adamant that it will keep its weapons and that disarming would be a mistake while Israel continues to strike Lebanon and occupies large areas of territory in the south.
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