Israel airstrikes pounded southern Lebanon on Friday, resulting in at least five deaths and 23 injuries, according to Lebanese sources.
Of the recent fatalities, two young men were killed on Friday afternoon in an Israeli drone strike while they were riding a motorcycle in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).
Separately, Israeli forces carried out explosions between the southern towns of Baraachit and Beit Yahoun, and in the town of Mansouri, and shelled the southern town of Bani Hayyan with artillery, according to the agency.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that its soldiers intercepted a drone launched by Hezbollah militants towards IDF-held positions in southern Lebanon's "security zone."
Troops opened fire and downed the drone, with no injuries reported, according to an IDF statement.
In response, the Israeli military carried out strikes in southern Lebanon overnight, it added.
The IDF said it will continue operating in the zone to remove threats to Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Hezbollah on Friday denied an Israeli military claim of taking control of the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge on the eastern outskirts of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance said the ridge was free of any Israeli military presence, adding that its fighters remained deployed there and in control of the area, ready to confront any Israeli attempt to advance or infiltrate.
The statement came a day after the Israeli military said its forces had achieved "operational control" of the ridge, above and below ground, following weeks of operations there. It said that its troops had cleared two underground routes, killing some Hezbollah members.
The dispute over the Ali al-Taher ridge follows intensified Israeli military activity in the area in recent weeks. On Wednesday, the Israeli military said Hezbollah had launched two explosive-laden drones at Israeli troops near the ridge, prompting strikes on what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure.
Roughly 15 kilometers from the Israeli border, the ridge overlooks Nabatieh and nearby villages, and commands key routes in southern Lebanon. Its location and suspected underground Hezbollah infrastructure have made it a major flashpoint in the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
Following negotiations held in Washington on June 26, Lebanon, Israel, and the United States announced that they had reached a framework agreement. According to the terms of the agreement, the Israeli forces would withdraw from the areas they held in southern Lebanon, with Lebanese forces taking over local security responsibilities.
However, since the agreement was reached, the IDF have continued to carry out military strikes targeting sites within Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon kill at least 5 people
Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon kill at least 5 people
