Israeli Drone Strike Kills Five Including Three US Children in Lebanon Amid Ongoing Truce Violations

An Israeli drone strike in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, killed five people, including three children who were U.S. citizens, according to Lebanon's health ministry and government officials. Israel stated the attack targeted a Hezbollah operative but regretted the deaths of uninvolved civilians, noting the incident is under review. Lebanese leaders, including Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, condemned the strike as a blatant crime against civilians and a message of intimidation towards residents returning to southern villages. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) expressed shock and outrage over the killing of the children and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities to protect children. Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November 2024 between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has continued strikes on suspected Hezbollah positions, raising concerns about destabilizing Lebanon and undermining efforts to disarm Hezbollah. The international community is urged to strongly condemn Israel's repeated violations of international law and resolutions.