Israeli attacks kill 2 in Lebanon, West Bank

One person was killed and another wounded on Wednesday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a car on the Hermel-Al-Qasr road, near the Lebanese-Syrian border in eastern Lebanon, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA), reported Xinhua.

The Israeli military, in a statement, confirmed the attack, saying it killed "a significant" Hezbollah member.

The Israeli military stated that the militant was part of Hezbollah's "4400 Unit," responsible for weapons transfers.

The militant "was targeted after repeatedly violating the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, including his involvement in Hezbollah weapons transfers during the war," the military said, adding that he was killed "while planning additional smuggling operations."

Meanwhile, residents of Al-Dhahira, a southern Lebanese village bordering Israel, staged a protest amid the ruins of their village. The demonstrators raised Lebanese flags and expressed frustration over their inability to return to their homes.

According to the NNA, the protesters condemned the Israeli army's repeated incursions into the southern neighborhood, accusing it of intimidating civilians by opening fire on anyone attempting to return to their homes near the Blue Line. They held the Lebanese government accountable and demanded it exert pressure on the UN, its peacekeeping forces, and the five-nation ceasefire committee to ensure their right to return.

Since Nov. 27, a U.S. and French-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been in effect, halting more than a year of clashes between Hezbollah and Israel. However, despite the agreement requiring an Israeli full withdrawal from Lebanese territory by Feb. 18, Israeli forces have maintained their presence at five key points along the Lebanese border, and continued their strikes, with some resulting in casualties.

Meanwhile, A 16-year-old Palestinian boy was killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Qalqilya on Wednesday, Palestinian health officials said, amid escalating violence in the territory, reported Xinhua.

Hamed Muwafi died from a gunshot wound to the head during a confrontation near Israel's separation barrier on the outskirts of Qalqilya, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Local witnesses said he was shot by Israeli troops and rushed to Qalqilya Hospital in critical condition before succumbing to his injuries.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident.

Separately, Palestinian medical sources confirmed the death of Abdul Rahman Nawas, 22, who succumbed to wounds sustained in an Israeli drone strike on December 24, 2024, in the Nour Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm. Nawas had been undergoing treatment at Ramallah's Istishari Hospital for shrapnel injuries, officials said.

Israeli forces have maintained a monthlong operation in Tulkarm and its refugee camps, including Nour Shams, which Palestinian authorities say has killed at least eight people and led to widespread arrests and injuries.

The West Bank has seen a surge in violence since October 7, 2023. More than 900 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire or shelling in the territory during this period, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.