Israeli battalion commander, three soldiers killed, five injured in Lebanon

BEIRUT: An Israeli battalion commander and three soldiers were killed, while five others were injured during fighting in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

According to the Israeli military, a suspected drone strike or anti-tank missile hit a tank commanded by Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, commander of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade. The attack killed all four crew members inside the tank.

The military also said a drone attack severely wounded a reserve officer.

Fighting flared anew in Lebanon on Friday, with authorities reporting 47 killed in Israeli airstrikes and Israel announcing the deaths of four of its soldiers.

The violence is the worst since the sealing of a US-Iran deal to halt the wider Middle East war, which was supposed to also pause fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported a fresh Israeli strike on the area of Jezzine in the south, soon after a US official said on Friday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed a ceasefire.

The US official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the truce was brokered by US and Qatari mediators, following talks with Israel and Iran.

A Gulf diplomat confirmed the ceasefire was brokered by Qatar, the US and Iran.

An earlier truce meant to have taken effect in April did little to stop attacks from either side.

Lebanon state media says five dead in fresh Israeli strikes on south

Some in Israel were sceptical that the latest truce would last.

“I don’t know what ceasefire we’re talking about because as we all know, there’s been attacks on both sides,” said Almog Goresnic, 21, from Tel Aviv.

– ‘Lasting peace’ –

Also on Friday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a call that a comprehensive ceasefire must be secured in order for talks with Israel to progress.

The State Department, meanwhile, announced the resumption of negotiations in Washington from June 23 to 25.

These discussions will provide an opportunity to “make progress toward a lasting peace”, department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

He added that during the call with Aoun, “Rubio reiterated the need to disarm Hezbollah and to re-establish control over all Lebanese territory”.

Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli airstrikes and bombardments killed at least 47 people — including seven women and two children — and wounded 97 others in Lebanon on Friday.

Video from AFPTV showed hundreds of cars packing roads in the city of Sidon as people attempted to flee southern areas.

Israel’s military reported “more than 150 IDF strikes in Lebanon since midnight”.

It said earlier it had “struck more than 80 command centres, terrorists, launch positions and additional terrorist infrastructure sites in the area of Nabatieh and additional areas in southern Lebanon”.

Iran-backed Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it was attacking Israeli forces around Nabatieh.

Israeli strikes also targeted the Baalbek region in the east of Lebanon.

Aoun said Israel’s latest attacks “constitute a dangerous escalation”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of wanting “permanent war”.

US officials including President Donald Trump have expressed frustration at Israel’s campaign in Lebanon.

But Netanyahu said Friday that Israeli troops will stay in south Lebanon “as long as necessary”.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in early March by attacking Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion.