Israeli strikes targeting cars on a highway south of Beirut on Wednesday killed eight people, including two children, Lebanon’s health ministry said, in the latest attacks despite a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

The three separate airstrikes were carried out well beyond the main theater of conflict in the south, targeting vehicles on the coastal highway in an area around 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Beirut, security sources said.

Images showed a burnt-out car in the middle of the road and rescuers carrying a body at one of the sites, near Jiyeh. On Saturday, similar strikes targeted two other cars in the same area.

The Israel Defense Forces didn’t immediately comment on Wednesday’s highway strikes. But it said it launched a wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas southern Lebanon following evacuation warnings for seven villages in the area where the military intended to target the Iran-backed terror group.

The warning from army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee called on residents to flee at least a kilometer (0.6 miles) away from the villages of Maashouq, Jarjouaa, Yanouh, Burj al-Shamali, Hallousiyyeh al-Faouqa, Debaal and Aabbasiyyeh.

“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” said Adraee.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported several strikes on villages and cars in the Tyre region.

Adraee’s warning came as the IDF said Hezbollah had fired rockets at troops in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, without any injuries. One barrage triggered sirens in the northern Israeli border community of Zarit, the military said.

In addition, the military said it intercepted several Hezbollah drones fired at troops in southern Lebanon in separate incidents on Wednesday.

Troops........

© The Times of Israel