2 killed, 4 injured in Israeli airstrike in S. Lebanon

Beirut [Lebanon], February 16: An Israeli airstrike hit a car in the Iqlim al-Tuffah district in southern Lebanon Saturday evening, killing two people and injuring four others, according to the official National News Agency (NNA).
The attack took place around 7:20 p.m. local time (1720 GMT) when an Israeli drone fired a guided missile at the car, setting it ablaze and killing both passengers inside.
Meanwhile, four women from the municipality of Arab Salim in the Nabatieh District, including three sisters, sustained injuries while passing through the area at the time of the strike. They were taken to Nabih Berri Governmental Hospital in the city of Nabatieh for treatment.
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a post on social media platform X that an aircraft carried out a strike on a key operative in Hezbollah's aerial unit in southern Lebanon.
Adraee said the operative was targeted following repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon in recent weeks, including his involvement in launching drones toward Israeli territory.
A ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and the Israeli military has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, halting over a year of clashes triggered by the Gaza war.
The agreement requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days while the Lebanese army assumes control along the border and in the south, ensuring no presence of weapons or armed groups south of the Litani River.
On Jan. 27, Lebanon's caretaker government announced an extension of the ceasefire agreement until Feb. 18, following the expiration of the initial 60-day period without a complete Israeli withdrawal.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued strikes in Lebanon, citing security threats.
Source: Xinhua