UPDATE - 1 killed as Israeli drone hits motorbike in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

UPDATES WITH ISRAELI CONFIRMATION, CHANGES DECK

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – One person was killed in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, in the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry’s Emergency Operations Center said the victim lost his life when a drone fired two missiles into his motorbike in the town of Yater Tuesday night.

The state news agency NNA confirmed the attack, saying Israeli reconnaissance planes were flying over the town.

The Israeli army, for its part, claimed that the strike killed a local Hezbollah commander in the town.

A military statement said that the alleged commander “recently attempted to restore Hezbollah's capabilities in the Yater area."

There was no comment from Hezbollah on the Israeli claim.

NNA also reported Israeli search operations, using machine guns in the Marjayoun district in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese army said that it had dismantled an Israeli spy device and removed two barriers erected between the towns of Blida and Mays Al-Jabal.

Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah activities, despite the ceasefire that was reached in November. The truce ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of over 200 victims and injuries to at least 500 others since last November.

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 Israel refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.