Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon During Rome Peace Talks, Killing One

BEIRUT — Israeli strikes targeted southern Lebanon, including the town of Burj al-Shamali in the Tyre district. An earlier strike killed one person and wounded 11 others in the town of Tibnin, Lebanon's health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it was responding to a "blatant violation of the ceasefire" by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, and that the operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously announced an expansion of ground operations, following a series of Hezbollah drone attacks targeting Israeli troops in occupied parts of southern Lebanon and civilians in northern Israel.

Residents across a broad stretch of southern Lebanon received evacuation warnings from the Israeli military before the new wave of strikes.

Hezbollah reported clashes with Israeli forces in a town north of the Litani River.

Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have raised concerns about the explosives Israel has used, saying their indiscriminate deployment could constitute the war crime of wanton destruction.

Despite the escalating military activity, Lebanese and Israeli officials are continuing direct talks in Rome aimed at establishing a lasting peace between the two countries.

The Israeli military said it was responding to a "blatant violation of the ceasefire" by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, and that the operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure in the region.

Residents across a broad stretch of southern Lebanon received evacuation warnings from the Israeli military before the new wave of strikes.

Hezbollah reported clashes with Israeli forces in a town north of the Litani River.

Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have raised concerns about the explosives Israel has used, saying their indiscriminate deployment could constitute the war crime of wanton destruction.

Despite the escalating military activity, Lebanese and Israeli officials are continuing direct talks in Rome aimed at establishing a lasting peace between the two countries.