Lebanese health ministry: Death toll from IDF fire rises to 15; Israeli military says suspects approached troops

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

A resident of Kfar Kila carries a Hezbollah flag as people gather in Burj al-Muluk on January 26, 2025, behind an Israeli roadblock across a road leading to their village in southern Lebanon (Rabih DAHER / AFP)
A resident of Kfar Kila carries a Hezbollah flag as people gather in Burj al-Muluk on January 26, 2025, behind an Israeli roadblock across a road leading to their village in southern Lebanon (Rabih DAHER / AFP)

The Lebanese health ministry says 15 people have been killed by Israeli fire in southern Lebanon since this morning.

Dozens have also been wounded, according to the ministry.

The Israeli military says it opened fire on suspects approaching troops. Images from a number of locations show protesters carrying Hezbollah flags.

Israel said Friday its forces would remain in south Lebanon beyond today’s deadline for their departure.

A ceasefire signed in late November that ended the 2023-2024 war between Hezbollah and Israel stipulated that Israeli forces would withdraw as the Iran-backed terror group’s weapons and fighters are removed from southern Lebanon and the Lebanese army deploys there.

But Israel said the terms had not been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, meaning Israeli troops would stay beyond today, without saying for how long.

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