At least five killed in Israeli strikes on south Lebanon despite ceasefire

At ​least five people were killed ‌in Israeli air strikes and drone attacks in southern Lebanon on Saturday, ​Lebanese state media reported, just ​hours after a ceasefire between ⁠Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah ​group took effect.

State news agency NNA ​said Israeli warplanes and drones carried out a series of strikes across the ​Nabatieh area overnight and into ​Saturday morning, destroying residential buildings and homes, while ‌Israeli ⁠artillery shelled Nabatieh and its outskirts before dawn.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to the ceasefire on Friday ​following an ​escalation ⁠in hostilities in Lebanon, according to a U.S. ​official.

A senior Israeli official and ​two ⁠Hezbollah sources confirmed the agreement to Reuters. The U.S. official said ⁠the ​truce was to ​begin at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday.

-Reuters