BEIRUT: Lebanon reported Israeli strikes in the country's south on Saturday, as the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for the city of Nabatieh and more than 20 other locations ahead of raids. The latest strikes came as the US and Iran indicated they were close to reaching a deal on ending the Middle East war that could also include Lebanon, drawn into the conflict when Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of its patron Tehran.
Details of the Strikes
The state-run National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli airstrikes had hit several areas, particularly around the southern city of Nabatieh. An AFP photojournalist in the Nabatieh area heard blasts around Kfar Remman, which has been repeatedly targeted, and saw a plume of smoke rising from Kfar Tebnit, which was not included in the evacuation warnings.
Lebanese Soldier Wounded
The Lebanese army later said one of its soldiers had been severely wounded after being hit by an Israeli drone on the road between Kfar Remman and Nabatieh. That had followed an initial attempt to target him as he was moving near a hospital close to the city.
Local Official Killed
NNA also said an Israeli strike killed a local official in Rihan, the southern region of Jezzine. An AFP correspondent in Nabatieh said the city was almost deserted, reporting artillery shelling there and in nearby areas overnight and on Saturday.
Evacuation Warnings
The Israeli military had issued two warnings to residents of 24 locations -- both in and around Nabatieh, and nearer to the coast -- to 'evacuate your homes immediately and move to the north of the Zahrani River', around 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the southern border with Israel.
