Israeli strike kills two as southern Lebanon tensions escalate

An Israeli air strike on a motorcycle in southern Lebanon has killed two people, according to the country's Ministry of Public Health, as Israeli military operations across the region continue to intensify.

The strike struck the town of Kfar Reman in the Nabatieh area on Friday, near the strategically important Ali al-Taher ridge. The Israeli military has said its forces captured the ridge, although Hezbollah has not confirmed that it lost control of the position.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military had also cleared Hezbollah fighters from tunnel networks beneath the ridge. The elevated position overlooks a broad area and has become a major flashpoint in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israeli forces carried out further air raids and artillery attacks against several communities in the Tyre and Nabatieh districts, although no additional casualties were reported.

According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, the affected areas included al-Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, Buyout al-Sayyad, Beit Lif and Srebbine in the Tyre district, along with Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Mayfadoun in Nabatieh.

The latest attacks have occurred despite two ceasefire arrangements brokered under the administration of US President Donald Trump in June.

A June 4 agreement called for a complete halt to Hezbollah attacks and the withdrawal of its fighters from areas south of the Litani River. A second framework reached on June 26 did not explicitly require Israeli forces to withdraw, instead linking the issue to the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Lebanese authorities say more than 4,000 people have been killed and at least 12,000 wounded in Israeli attacks since the latest escalation began on March 2. More than one million people have also been displaced from their homes.

Israel has increased its military presence across parts of southern Lebanon as its campaign against Hezbollah has expanded. Hezbollah launched rocket attacks towards Israel in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Separately, Israeli authorities released four Lebanese detainees on Friday in a handover mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The four were transferred to Lebanese officials, one day after another Lebanese detainee was released under an arrangement between Israel and Lebanon.

The latest exchanges and continued military operations highlight the fragile nature of the ceasefire arrangements, with tensions remaining high across southern Lebanon.