Israel drops evacuation leaflets over south Lebanon town
· RTE.ieIsraeli forces dropped leaflets over a town in southern Lebanon ordering residents to leave, Lebanese state media reported, in a first such order issued since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect.
The town lies near the boundary of the area occupied by Israeli troops inside southern Lebanon, as designated by Israel.
The Israeli military said it killed seven Hezbollah militants who had operated near its so-called "security zone" in southern Lebanon.
The latest attack comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
While the fighting has diminished significantly in recent days, it has not stopped completely.
The military said in a statement it had "struck and eliminated seven Hezbollah terrorists who transferred weapons near the Security Zone in southern Lebanon," adding that it would "continue to operate to remove threats."
It comes as Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Israel has "no option" but to withdraw from Lebanese areas it occupies, adding that the Iran-US deal that reduced fighting with Israel was an American-Israeli defeat.
His televised speech was made as Shia Muslims across the country were marking Ashura, a day of mourning for the death of Hussein, a key figure in Shia Islam.
Tens of thousands of supporters participated in a ceremony in Beirut's southern suburbs waving Hezbollah and Iranian flags in the largest gathering organised by the pro-Iran group since the outbreak of war in March.
"Israel has no option but to withdraw completely from every inch of our Lebanese land ... Israel must leave unconditionally," Mr Qassem said.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the regional war on 2 March with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes on 28 February.
Israel responded with airstrikes and an invasion that Lebanon says killed more than 4,200 people.
Under US pressure, Lebanese officials began direct talks in April with Israel in Washington, and a truce was announced on 17 April but failed to stop the fighting.
A new ceasefire was declared this month as Iran insists that its deal with the US to end the war in the Middle East must include Lebanon.
The fifth round of talks between Israel and Lebanon were slated to end yesterday, but the US State Department said they would go on for another day.
Mr Qassem said his group would accept "no normalisation, no cancellation of the state of hostility, no gains for Israel".
The leader also thanked Iran for its support, considering the deal with the US "an official declaration of the defeat of America and Israel".
Since the start of the war, Lebanese authorities have been trying to separate their negotiation track from the Iran war talks.