Israeli infantry crosses into southern Lebanon, enters Wazzani area in violation of ceasefire

By Omer Aydin and Ikram Kouachi

ISTANBUL (AA) - An Israeli infantry unit crossed the border into southern Lebanon on Friday, entering recreational areas in the town of Wazzani, according to a report by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

“A hostile infantry unit crossed the border and entered the Wazzani park area,” the agency said in a brief statement, without elaborating further on the incursion or any ensuing response.

The latest incident follows an Israeli drone strike on Thursday that targeted construction equipment in Aita al-Shaab, another town along the tense Israel-Lebanon border.

A fragile ceasefire had been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.

Lebanese authorities reported over 1,400 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including at least 125 fatalities and more than 370 injuries.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after it refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.