Israel strikes southern Lebanon over 'ceasefire violation,' killing 1
· UPIAug. 5 (UPI) -- Israel launched airstrikes in southern Lebanon after accusing Hezbollah of violating the ongoing ceasefire on Wednesday, officials said.
One person was killed and 12 were injured in Tebnine, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said.
"In response to a blatant violation of the ceasefire by Hezbollah, the IDF has begun conducting precise strikes in southern Lebanon," the Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement on X.
Earlier in the day, two Israeli troops had been killed and seven wounded in an explosion that remains under investigation, the Guardian reported.
Israeli military officials had issued a displacement order 30 minutes before the strike, the first serious escalation since the June ceasefire went into effect.
"For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move north of the village to a distance of no less than 1,000 meters (about 0.6 miles) into open areas," Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, a spokeswoman for the IDF, wrote on X.
"Anyone located near Hezbollah members, facilities, or combat equipment is putting their life in danger," the spokeswoman added.
Israeli and Lebanese negotiators met in Rome for a second day of diplomatic talks on Wednesday, The New York Times reported.
Israel has continued to occupy parts of Lebanon.
Both sides have accused each other of repeated cease-fire violations since.