Israeli Drone Strike Kills Three Lebanese Civilians, Injures Four in Ceasefire Violation

The attack targeted a vehicle on the Jarjouh road in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area, Lebanese media reported. A precision-guided missile fired by the drone caused an explosion that also wounded four women traveling in a nearby car, according to the reports.

"This is a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement and a continuation of Israel's systematic targeting of civilians," a Lebanese security source told al-Manar television. "The victims were ordinary citizens, not fighters."

Israel claimed the strike targeted a senior commander of Hezbollah, the Lebanese resistance movement. However, local sources denied this, stating that none of the victims were Hezbollah fighters.

The incident adds to a series of Israeli violations since the ceasefire took effect in November 2024, following over a year of intensified Israeli military operations that left more than 3,000 people dead, including Hezbollah members and leaders such as former secretary general Seyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Under the agreement, the Israeli military was required to withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days, but the deadline was extended to February 18 due to delays in compliance.

Hezbollah, whose incessant and successful retaliatory strikes during the one-year-plus-long escalation forced the regime into approving the ceasefire accord, has vowed to defend the Lebanese sovereignty against further aggression, and warned that Tel Aviv's continued violations would be met with an appropriate response.

The deadly drone strike followed a protest by Lebanese people in the capital Beirut against Israeli contraventions of the agreement.

Addressing the rally that had been invited by Hezbollah, Mahmoud Qamati, Deputy Head of the movement's Political Council, said, "The resistance will continue to pursue the withdrawal of the enemy from southern Lebanon and will not accept any official stance that extends the enemy’s presence on our land.”