BEIRUT (AP) — The Israeli army said on Thursday that its warplanes fired on southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah activity at a rocket storage facility. This is the first Israeli airstrike a day after a ceasefire was established between Israel and Hezbollah.
There have been no reports of casualties so far from the Israeli air strike.
The air strike occurred hours after the Israeli army said it had fired at people trying to return to certain areas in southern Lebanon, as they were violating the ceasefire agreement, without providing details.
How were the attacks in southern Lebanon?
The state news agency of Lebanon reported that Israeli fire was targeting civilians in Markaba, near the border, without providing further details.
Israel said it fired artillery at three other locations near the border.
A reporter from The Associated Press in northern Israel, near the border, heard the buzzing of Israeli drones and the sound of artillery fire coming from the Lebanese side.
The Israeli army said in a statement that "several suspects were identified as they were heading with vehicles to various areas in southern Lebanon, violating the ceasefire conditions". It stated that the troops "fired towards them" and that they would "actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement".
Israel has warned people not to return to areas where its troops are deployed and says it reserves the right to attack Hezbollah if it violates the terms of the ceasefire.
Can the ceasefire agreement be broken?
The consecutive incidents raised concerns about the agreement, mediated by the United States and France, which includes an initial two-month ceasefire in which Hezbollah militants must withdraw to the north of the Litani River and Israeli forces must return to their side of the border. The demilitarized zone would be patrolled by Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers.
Israeli officials have said that the forces will gradually withdraw as it is ensured that the agreement is being fulfilled.
A Lebanese military official said that the troops of his army would be gradually deployed in the south as the Israelis withdraw.