Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Nabatieh, southern Lebanon.
DUBAI, June 20 (Reuters) – At least five people were killed in Israeli air strikes and drone attacks in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanese state media reported, just hours after a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group took effect.
State news agency NNA said Israeli warplanes and drones carried out a series of strikes across the Nabatieh area overnight and into Saturday morning, destroying residential buildings and homes, while Israeli artillery shelled Nabatieh and its outskirts before dawn.
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to the ceasefire on Friday following an escalation in hostilities in Lebanon, according to a U.S. official.
A senior Israeli official and two Hezbollah sources confirmed the agreement to Reuters. The U.S. official said the truce was to begin at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday.
Reporting by Jana Choukeir; Editing by William Mallard.
