‘Israel’ strikes south Lebanon day after ceasefire extension

‘Israel’ launched a series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, despite the extension of the truce between the two.

‘Israel’ says it is targeting Hezbollah but the strikes were preceded by an evacuation warning covering nine villages.

And the continuing bombardment has only increased scepticism about the truce among the many thousands of Lebanese driven from their homes in the south.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported strikes on at least five villages on Saturday, including one more than 50 kilometres from the border.

At the same time it reported a new exodus of residents towards the southern city of Sidon and the capital Beirut.

On Friday, the two countries agreed to extend a ceasefire, which began on April 17 but has been marred by numerous violations, by another 45 days.

Since the start of the ceasefire, ‘Israel’ has repeatedly issued evacuation warnings for south Lebanese villages ahead of strikes.

Over this period their geographical scope has expanded to include areas north of the Litani River and further from the border.

The ‘Israeli’ military also struck at least one town that was not included in the warning, near the southern city of Nabatieh.

Despite the ceasefire, ‘Israel’ continues to conduct strikes in Lebanon, and its forces are occupying territory near the border.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, regularly claims attacks on northern ‘Israel’ and against the ‘Israeli’ military in southern Lebanon.

‘Israeli’ attacks since the start of the war have killed more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including more than 400 since the truce took effect, according to Lebanese authorities.

‘Israel’ has also reported the deaths of 19 soldiers in southern Lebanon since fighting with Hezbollah erupted.

The latest strikes come after envoys from ‘Israel’ and Lebanon held negotiations in Washington -- following the first direct talks in decades last month between the two, despite not having diplomatic relations.

They agreed to extend the ceasefire.

Iran-backed Hezbollah opposed the negotiations and claimed an attack against ‘Israeli’ troops in the Lebanese town of Khiam on Saturday.

The group justified their action by accusing ‘Israel’ of ceasefire violations and "attacks that targeted villages in southern Lebanon".

On Friday an ‘Israeli’ strike hit a centre of the Hezbollah-linked Islamic Health Committee in the southern town of Harouf, authorities said.

Six people were killed, including three paramedics, according to the Lebanese health ministry.