Two people were injured by Israeli fire in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the country's state-run National News Agency reported.
The incident in Markaba, a town near the Israeli border, occurred during the second day of a U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group.
Nearby reporters were able to capture the scale of the action. One Associated Press journalist in northern Israel observed Israeli drones overhead and artillery fire from the Lebanese side of the border.
The Israeli military stated that "several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire."
Troops reportedly "opened fire toward them" and emphasized that they would "actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement."
What Are the Terms of the Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire?
The agreement mandates a two-month truce, requiring Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River while Israeli forces return to their side of the border.
The rules of the agreement has roots in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, the ceasefire pact adopted in 2006 to end the last Israel-Hezbollah war.
Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers will patrol the buffer zone created by the ceasefire. The ceasefire seeks to end a 14-month conflict that has ravaged Lebanon.
Hezbollah indicated it would give the ceasefire pact a chance. One of the group's leaders said the group's support for the deal hinged on clarity that Israel would not renew its attacks.
"After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials," Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah's political council, told the Qatari satellite news network Al Jazeera.
"We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state" of Lebanon, he said.
Attacks on Four Israel-Lebanon Border Territories
In addition to reporting that two individuals were wounded in Markaba, the National News Agency also noted Israeli artillery fire in three other locations along the border, with no immediate information on casualties.
Israeli authorities have cautioned civilians against returning to areas near the border where troops remain deployed. The military also reiterated its stance that it would respond to any Hezbollah violations of the truce.
A Lebanese military official confirmed that troops would gradually deploy in the south as Israeli forces withdraw. The official spoke anonymously, citing restrictions on speaking to the media.
Over 1.2 Million in Lebanon Displaced Since September
The ceasefire, which began late Tuesday, represents a temporary halt in the recent conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah that has devastated Lebanon, with more than 3,760 killed and 1.2 million displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.
Israel claims over 2,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed, while on the Israeli side, approximately 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians have been killed by rockets, drones, and missiles in northern Israel and during ground fighting in Lebanon. Around 50,000 residents remain displaced from the north of Israel.
Despite warnings from both the Lebanese military and Israeli forces, thousands of displaced Lebanese residents began returning to their homes on Wednesday.
Israel has indicated that it will withdraw its forces gradually as it monitors adherence to the ceasefire conditions. Communities on the Israeli side of the border, however, remain largely uninhabited, with few civilians returning.
The deal does not address the war in Gaza, where Israeli strikes overnight in Gaza City killed 11 people, including four children. The wars between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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