Woman killed as Israeli forces fire on returnees to southern Lebanon ahead of ceasefire deadline
Lebanese media say a woman has been killed and several other people wounded after Israeli forces opened fire on a group of residents attempting to return to the village of Houla in the south
A woman was killed and several other people wounded Sunday when Israeli forces opened fire on a group of residents attempting to return to the village of Houla in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese state-run news agency reported.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the incident, which comes two days before the deadline for implementation of a ceasefire agreement that ended the latest war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in late November, including a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
The original deadline was in late January but Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend it to Feb. 18. Hours before they agreed to the extension on Jan. 27, hundreds of protesters attempted to enter villages still occupied by the Israeli army to demand its withdrawal, and Israeli forces opened fire in several locations, killing more than 20 people. Israel blamed Hezbollah for sending “rioters.”
Also Sunday, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an Israeli airstrike had hit a bulldozer that was attempting to open roads that had been blocked by the Israeli military near the village of Marwahin. No casualties were reported.
The Lebanese army, which has taken control of areas that the Israeli forces have withdrawn from, in a statement warned citizens not to try to enter areas where Lebanese troops have not yet deployed.
It remains unclear whether Israel will fully withdraw from Lebanese territory on Tuesday.
Internal tensions have risen in Lebanon in recent days ahead of the deadline and after Lebanese authorities revoked permission for an Iranian plane that had been set to travel from Tehran to Beirut, leaving dozens of Lebanese passengers stranded.
The decision came after Israel had alleged that Iran was sending cash to Hezbollah via civilian flights and said it would “use all available means” to stop it.
The outgoing deputy commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon was injured Friday when protesters attacked a convoy taking peacekeepers to the Beirut airport.