BEIRUT: An Israeli airstrike on Saturday killed two civilians who were collecting water in south Lebanon, confirmed the Lebanese security. The Israeli forces, however, claimed that they targeted two Hezbollah operatives.
The Lebanese security source, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization, stated that “two civilians were filling up water from a roadside spring” in the Deir Mimas area when they were killed in an “Israeli air strike.”
In response, the Israeli army said that its soldiers had identified two Hezbollah operatives preparing to launch projectiles towards Israel from the Deir Mimas region. The army promptly conducted an airstrike on the identified targets.
The situation escalated amid ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, intensified following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which led to conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that two men were killed by an “enemy drone” in the same area, with one identified as a local council member from the Amal movement in Kfar Kila. They were reportedly fetching water from a spring for livestock purposes when the attack occurred.
The Amal movement confirmed the death of one of its members, born in 1964, in the incident.
Since October, the violence along the border has claimed over 500 lives in Lebanon.
On the Israeli side, at least 29 people, mostly soldiers, have been reported killed.
The ongoing border clashes have raised concerns about a potential full-scale conflict between Lebanon and Israel, reminiscent of their 2006 war.
