Lebanon fighting eases after US-Iran deal, but one killed in drone strike

BEIRUT: Fighting in southern Lebanon eased on Monday after a US-Iran agreement to end the wider conflict was announced, though an Israeli drone strike later killed one person and local authorities urged displaced residents not to return quickly as Israel said it would keep troops in the south.

Lebanon has seen the deadliest spillover from the US-Iran conflict, with nearly 3,800 people killed and about 1.2 million displaced during an Israeli offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Hezbollah had opened fire on Israel in support of Tehran on March 2.

Lebanese and foreign security sources said the announcement brought relative calm to southern Lebanon. The same sources said earlier that Israel had sharply reduced its attacks, although some artillery shelling was still reported in towns in the south and a drone was heard over Beirut and its southern suburbs.

Later on Monday, an Israeli drone struck a car in the southern town of Kfar Tebnit, killing the driver, according to a Lebanese security source and Lebanese state media. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the attack.

Hezbollah response

A Hezbollah official told Reuters that the group had not carried out any operations since the deal was announced, adding that its stance on the ceasefire depended on whether Israel complied with it. The official, who was not named, also said Hezbollah rejected Israeli freedom of movement in Lebanon and said Iran had delayed signing the agreement with the United States in order to monitor Israel’s adherence to the ceasefire in Lebanon.

In a written statement issued before the drone strike, Hezbollah welcomed the US-Iran agreement and said it had produced a comprehensive ceasefire that included Lebanon. The group warned Israel that it would not accept attacks violating Lebanon’s sovereignty or targeting its people, and said Lebanon’s inclusion in the arrangement showed Iran’s commitment to ending the war.

Warning to displaced residents

In southern Lebanon, municipal councils called on residents to delay returning to their homes. The warning came despite the relative lull that followed the announcement of the US-Iran deal, as uncertainty remained over conditions on the ground and Israel’s stated intention to keep forces in the south.