UPDATE 2 - 3 killed in Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK

By Ahmed Asmar and Rania Abu Shamala

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) – Three people were killed Wednesday in Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon, as Tel Aviv continues a pattern of ceasefire violations.

One person was killed in a strike on the town of Aitaroun in the Bint Jbeil district of Nabatieh governorate, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

It said one person lost his life when a drone hit a car in Ain Baal, near Tyre.

Later, the Israeli army claimed that it killed a Hezbollah member named Hussein Nazih Barji, in the Tyre area.

State news agency NNA said one more person was killed in another drone strike in the town of Yater, as he was removing the rubble of his destroyed house.

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 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 around 200 victims and injuries to 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.