Israeli gunfire kills woman in Lebanon border town

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli forces opened fire on residents returning to their neighbourhoods in Hula, killing a woman and wounding three others. Israeli troops also abducted four citizens, including a rescue worker, in the town.

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on 27 November following more than a year of fighting, including two months of full-scale war.

According to the agreement between Lebanon and Israel, Lebanon’s military was to deploy in the south alongside UN peacekeepers while Israeli forces withdrew over 60 days.

Hezbollah was also expected to retreat north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres from the border, and dismantle any military infrastructure in the area.

The initial deadline was extended to 18 February after Israel failed to meet the original timeframe. Both parties have accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms.

In late January, when the initial ceasefire deadline passed, Israeli soldiers opened fire on residents returning to their border villages, killing 26 people over two days.

The Lebanese army issued a statement on X urging citizens not to head towards the southern regions where military deployment had not been completed, warning of dangers such as unexploded ordnance and the potential presence of Israeli forces.

On Saturday, an Israeli air raid on a vehicle in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region killed two people, the NNA reported.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Sunday that the strike killed Abbas Hammoud, one the leaders of Hezbollah’s air unit that is responsible for launching drones into the occupied territories.

A senior Israeli security official said on Thursday that Israel was prepared to withdraw from Lebanese territory within the agreed timeline of the ceasefire deal.

However, Lebanese parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri stressed that the US had informed him that while Israel would leave by 18 February, it would retain a presence in five strategic points on high ground in southern Lebanon, a demand that Lebanese officials have rejected.

The five locations are spread along their shared border, including areas near the towns of Khiam, Odaisseh, Naqoura, and Ramyeh.