BEIRUT, May 20. /TASS/. Despite the ceasefire, seven people were killed in Israeli Air Force strikes on two southern Lebanese settlements, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.
According to its infornation, a strike hit a residential neighborhood in the village of Ad-Doueir, destroying several houses. Five people were killed and two others were injured in the attack. In the town of Tibnin, an area near the local hospital was targeted, resulting in the deaths of two Lebanese citizens and injuring another.
At midnight on April 17, a 10-day ceasefire with Israel went into effect in Lebanon. The agreement was reached by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with US leader Donald Trump acting as mediator. The 10-day ceasefire was seen as a first step toward a negotiation process that would lead to a long-term bilateral agreement. On May 15, US State Department Press Secretary Tommy Pigott announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend the ceasefire for 45 days and begin negotiations on security issues.
Since the ceasefire began, Lebanese media outlets have repeatedly reported Israeli violations of the agreement. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, more than 3,000 people have been killed and over 9,000 injured since early March due to Israeli Air Force strikes on southern and southeastern regions of the country. A government source in Beirut told Al Jazeera on May 19 that the ongoing escalation is negatively impacting the negotiation process.
