Deadly clashes broke out on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, including airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs and rockets fired into northern Israel, despite signs of progress in US ceasefire efforts.
US mediator Amos Hochstein was in Israel during a visit to Beirut earlier this week for talks with Israeli officials to try to secure a ceasefire, which he said was “within our understanding”.
The diplomacy marks the most serious effort yet to end the conflict between Israel and heavily armed, Iran-backed Hezbollah, which is part of the regional spillover of the Gaza war that began more than a year ago.
In southern Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike killed three people in the village of Chaitiyah, about 10 km (6 miles) from the border, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
A 30-year-old man died after rocket shrapnel fell on a playground in the northern city of Nahariya in Israel, Israel’s MDA medical service said.
Nahariya Mayor Ronen Marelli told public broadcaster Kan, “The Israeli government is not protecting me, my residents or the residents of (Israel’s) north. It is not possible to live in such a situation.”
The Israeli military said about 10 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Nahariya. “Most of the projectiles were intercepted and the fallen projectiles were identified,” the army said in a statement.
Channel 12 said three rockets hit the coastal city.
Hezbollah’s al-Manar television station, quoting its correspondent, confirmed that rockets were fired towards Nahariya and surrounding areas.
Air strikes on Beirut’s Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs rocked the capital, leaving thick clouds of debris.
The Israeli military issued a statement on X ahead of the attacks, warning residents that they were near Hezbollah positions against which it would soon take action. Residents have largely fled the area since Israel’s offensive in September.
White House envoy Hochstein departed for Israel after announcing progress during two days of talks in Lebanon with officials including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, with talks backed by Iran-backed Hezbollah. Speaking before leaving Beirut, Hochstein said he was going to Israel to try to close an agreement if possible.
The diplomacy aims to end the conflict that has wreaked widespread destruction in Lebanon as Israel has stepped up its aggressive stance, increasing airstrikes and sending troops across wide parts of the country.
Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera showed thick smoke rising from the town of Khiyam in southern Lebanon, about 6 km (4 miles) from the border, the epicenter of ground fighting between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops.
Israel says it aims to ensure the return home of thousands of people driven from its north due to rocket attacks by Hezbollah, which fired in support of Hamas at the start of the Gaza war, in October 2023.
Hezbollah, which has suffered major setbacks since Israel launched its offensive in September, continued to fire rockets at Israel this week, attacking Tel Aviv. Its fighters are fighting Israeli troops on the ground in the south.
Lebanon’s health ministry says 3,558 people have died in Lebanon since October 2023, most of them during Israeli attacks since September. The statistics do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The ministry said there were 14 deaths on Tuesday.
More than 100 people have been killed in Hezbollah attacks in northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. According to Israel, these include more than 70 soldiers killed in attacks in northern Israel and the Golan Heights and fighting in southern Lebanon.
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