Israel says targeted key member of Hezbollah air unit in drone strike

Lebanese official media said an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in the south on Saturday, hours after an earlier raid and days before a deadline to complete the withdrawal of its troops.

"An Israeli drone... carried out a strike" on a vehicle in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area, the National News Agency reported, adding that the vehicle caught fire.

The Health Ministry said the strike killed two people and wounded five others, including two children.

The Israeli army meanwhile said the strike targeted a key member of Hezbollah's aerial unit.

He was targeted "following his repeated violations of the understandings of the (ceasefire) agreement between Israel and Lebanon during the past weeks, which also included his involvement in launching drones towards Israeli territory," the Israeli army said.

Earlier in the day, an Israeli drone bombed the outskirts of the southern town of Ainata, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) said, adding that "nobody was hurt" and that "drones and surveillance aircraft are still flying over the area at low altitude."

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on November 27 after more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war.

Under the deal, Lebanon's military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period, and Hezbollah was also to vacate its positions near the border during that timeframe.

The deadline was later extended until February 18.

Both sides have accused the other of violations, and the Israeli military has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon.

A senior Israeli security official said Thursday that the military was prepared to withdraw from Lebanese territory and hand over areas to the Lebanese Army "within the timeline" set by the U.S.-French-mediated ceasefire agreement.

His comments came as the Israeli military said late Thursday that its air forces struck Hezbollah military sites "containing weapons and launchers."

Also Thursday, Speaker Nabih Berri said the United States had informed him that, while Israel would withdraw on February 18, "it will remain in five locations", adding that Beirut rejected the demand.