Israeli forces killed three people and wounded 31 others trying to return to homes in south Lebanon where Israeli troops remained on the ground after a deadline for their withdrawal passed on Sunday, Lebanon’s health ministry said.
The Lebanese health ministry said one person was killed in the village of Houla, another in Aitaroun, and a third in Blida as a result of what it described as Israeli attacks on citizens while they were trying to enter their still-occupied towns, Reuters reported.
Israel has said it intended to keep troops in the south beyond the Sunday deadline stipulated in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted last year’s war with Hezbollah, and on Saturday ordered residents not to return until further notice.
The deal stipulated that Israeli forces should withdraw from the south as the Iran-backed Hezbollah’s weapons and fighters were removed from the area and the Lebanese army deployed, within a 60-day period which ended on Sunday morning.
Israel has, however, said the terms have not been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, while Lebanon’s U.S.-backed military on Saturday accused Israel of procrastinating in its withdrawal.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the reported casualties.
An Israeli military spokesperson, in a post on X addressed to the people of south Lebanon, accused Hezbollah of trying to “heat up the situation” and said the Israeli army would “in the near future” inform them of places to which they can return.
Hezbollah, badly weakened by Israel during the war, has put the onus on the Lebanese state to ensure Israel’s withdrawal, describing Israel’s failure to withdraw on time as a violation of the agreement.
