Israeli strikes kill at least 28 in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

The death toll from Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon on Saturday has risen to at least 28, despite a ceasefire and the US-Iran agreement, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

The Israeli army carried out airstrikes on the southern Lebanese cities of Nabatieh, Tyre and Sidon since the early hours of the day.

An Israeli airstrike targeting the town of Qanarit in Sidon killed seven people and injured 13 others, according to preliminary figures.

Lebanon’s Civil Defense Directorate said 16 people were killed in Israeli attacks in Nabatieh.

Earlier, an Israeli airstrike on the town of Barish in Tyre killed four members of the same family, including two children, the NNA added.

Another person was killed in the eastern Lebanese town of Suhmur.

The Civil Defense Directorate said its teams evacuated 47 people to safe areas and transported 16 bodies and 12 wounded individuals to hospitals.

Israel’s military offensive in Lebanon has killed more than 3,980 people, injured over 12,000 others and displaced over 1 million residents since March 2, according to Lebanese authorities.

The latest attacks came after Israel’s Channel 12 on Friday quoted an unnamed official confirming reports that a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah had begun at 4 pm local time (1300GMT).

A senior US official also confirmed the ceasefire in a statement to Anadolu, while Hezbollah has not yet commented.