Israeli drones strike Lebanon despite US-brokered framework deal
The latest strikes reportedly killed one, as Amnesty urges probe into earlier Israeli attacks which killed 24 civilians.
A man was killed when an Israeli drone struck his motorcycle in the Lebanese town of Kafr Rumman, according to state-run media, the latest attack despite a United States-brokered framework agreement intended to pave the way for a phased Israeli withdrawal.
Also on Friday, another young man was seriously injured in the same area of southern Lebanon, after a drone targeted his vehicle. He was transferred to hospital, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.
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In an incident earlier in the day, two people were injured when an Israeli drone struck a pick-up truck that was unloading rubbish on the outskirts of the towns of Choukine and Kfar Dajjal in the Nabatieh district, NNA said.
Separately, Israeli demolition operations shook the border town of Khiam overnight.
NNA also said drones targeted the town of al-Fawqa. No casualties were reported there.
The attacks came after Amnesty International called for war crimes investigations into three earlier Israeli strikes in March that killed 24 civilians, including 12 children.
The attacks hit homes in Tyre, Sidon and Nabatieh districts on March 6, 12 and 13, killing six women – one of whom was pregnant, and six men. At least 18 people were wounded.
Amnesty said on Thursday that its investigation found grounds to conclude that Israeli forces violated international humanitarian law by striking civilians or civilian property, failing to distinguish between military and civilian targets, or failing to limit civilian harm.
“Within the space of just a week – the Israeli military obliterated entire families, including a dozen children, in Lebanon, demonstrating a callous disregard for civilian lives. How many more families will have to pull the body parts of their children from the rubble before this devastating cycle of war crimes ends?” said Amnesty’s Kristine Beckerle.
“The international community must act now: States must impose an immediate comprehensive arms embargo on Israel and use universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute those responsible,” she said.
The group also warned that the latest US-brokered Israel-Lebanon agreement signed on June 26 could block accountability and urged Lebanon to grant the International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction over crimes committed on its territory.
The deal does not force Israel to withdraw from the large area of southern Lebanon it continues to occupy, and Israel also appears to be signalling it will continue attacks it deems necessary.
However, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported on Friday that the Israeli government had ordered the military to refrain from carrying out “sensitive operations” in southern Lebanon following US pressure.
The Israeli army is expected to begin withdrawing from so-called pilot areas in southern Lebanon next week, when additional talks between Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to be held in Rome, Israel’s public broadcaster added.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said on Wednesday that the death toll from Israel’s attacks on the country had risen to 4,321, with 12,204 others injured since March 2.
