BEIRUT
Israel renewed its strikes on southern Lebanon on Wednesday, state media reported, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the Iran war truce does not include Lebanon. The Israeli army also issued an evacuation warning for a building near the southern city of Tyre.
Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which drew Lebanon into the Middle East war by attacking Israel on March 2, has not claimed any operations since 1am. Hezbollah halted fire on northern Israel and on Israeli troops in Lebanon in the early hours of Wednesday as part of the US-Iran ceasefire announced earlier, three Lebanese sources close to the group told Reuters.
Iran-backed Hezbollah is expected to issue a statement outlining its formal position on the ceasefire and on Netanyahu’s assertion that Lebanon is not included, the three Lebanese sources said. Israel’s military said it ‘continues fighting and ground operations’ in its war against the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that he welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, at the start of his meeting on defense with advisers and members of his cabinet, but added the situation in Lebanon remained critical and called for Lebanon to be included in the deal.
Lebanon’s army warned people against returning to the country’s south on Wednesday, where the Israeli military is still launching attacks, as Israel said the ceasefire with Iran did not include its conflict with Hezbollah.
“In light of regional developments and reports circulating about a ceasefire, (the army) urges citizens to wait before returning to southern villages and towns and to avoid approaching areas where Israeli occupation forces have advanced… since they may be exposing themselves to the ongoing Israeli attacks,” the Lebanese army said in a statement.
An media correspondent in the Tyre region saw a small number of people heading south, from where hundreds of thousands have been displaced since Lebanon was drawn into the war on March 2.
