Israeli troops kill two in Lebanon, putting strain on US-Iran talks
Israeli troops have killed two people in southern Lebanon, in the first reported fatalities since Sunday. The fragile Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire is a key condition set by Iran for peace talks with the US, a process that has drawn sharp criticism from West Jerusalem.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in the Muslim-majority town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa and left another person wounded, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.
The Israeli military claimed that “Hezbollah terrorists operating under civilian cover” approached its positions and failed to respond to warning shots, prompting troops to open direct fire.
Hezbollah said Israeli forces targeted a civilian municipal team that had been clearing roads from rubble and recovering bodies. The Iran-backed movement described the shooting as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire” with Israel, which was announced last week.
Israel launched its ground operation in Lebanon in early March, alongside its joint attack with the US on Iran. Israeli officials have said the aim is to establish a largely uninhabited “security zone” along Lebanon’s southern border. Beirut says at least 1.2 million people have been displaced. Lebanese authorities put the death toll since March at 4,192 as of Tuesday.
West Jerusalem has rejected parts of the US-Iranian memorandum of understanding, which is intended to create conditions for talks on a permanent armistice. Israel’s continued military presence in Lebanon remains a major obstacle to the Swiss-hosted negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The shooting in Nabatieh came as Lebanese civilians had begun returning to southern towns during the lull, despite Israel’s continued presence in the area and fears that hostilities could resume at any moment, RT’s Steve Sweeney reports from the ground.
