BEIRUT: Israeli soldiers are free to act without restriction to eliminate threats in Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday, adding troops remained in position in what Israel refers to as a security zone. A ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect on Friday after months of escalating violence, but on Saturday, Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people in Lebanon, Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported.
Israel said the strikes were a response to projectiles fired by the group at its troops in southern Lebanon, prompting attacks on what an Israeli official described as "Hezbollah targets". A Hezbollah official said that the group was committed to the ceasefire as long as Israel adheres to it, adding that Israeli forces do not have the right to freedom of movement in south Lebanon. The official said Hezbollah forces have not fired on Israeli troops since 6:30 pm on Saturday.
Security sources said that Israel had also launched no major strikes on Lebanon since the same time. That represents the longest spell without major strikes since the war in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel began on March 2. When asked about the last time Israel fired on Lebanon or engaged with Hezbollah, the Israeli military declined to provide a "specific time". The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the claim they have ceased firing after 6:30 pm on Saturday.
Iranian officials have said Lebanon is the focal point for Sunday's peace talks with the United States in Switzerland after Washington and Tehran signed a framework to halt the war between them that began at the end of February, escalating tension across the region. The Israeli military invaded parts of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah maintains it has the right to fight Israeli forces in Lebanon, but would halt attacks on northern Israel. Katz said Israeli troops would remain in all positions in what it calls a security zone, which extends about 10 km into southern Lebanon.
Lebanese Civil Defence said that 20 people had been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Saturday, hours after a truce there took effect.
Israel said it was responding to attacks from Hezbollah, while the group said it would not allow Israel "freedom of movement" in Lebanon. Lebanon's state news agency NNA said Israeli warplanes and drones had struck locations across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Saturday, both Hezbollah strongholds.
An Israeli military official said Hezbollah fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight, and that Israel had attacked what it described as Hezbollah targets in response. A military statement said Israel was committed to the ceasefire and would continue to act against any threat to Israel or its forces.
Lebanon's health ministry says 4,057 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including medics, women and children, though it does not specify how many of the dead were combatants. Israeli authorities say at least 32 soldiers and four civilians have been killed in fighting with Hezbollah. — Reuters
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