Israel kills 7 in S. Lebanon, sets mid-May as ceasefire deadline

The statement added that two Lebanese army soldiers were also injured in the attack. In another statement, the center said two people were killed and 13 others wounded in a preliminary toll after an Israeli airstrike targeted the southern village of Jibchit on Tuesday night. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the killing of three civil defense personnel in Majdal Zoun, saying that targeting rescuers constituted a violation of international laws, according to a statement from the presidency. Also on Tuesday, Hezbollah said in a statement that it shot down an Israeli army Hermes 900 drone with a surface-to-air missile over the town of Qantara in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said in a statement that an Israeli civilian employed as a contract worker for the Defense Ministry was killed in southern Lebanon by a Hezbollah explosive drone. The man worked for an engineering company contracted by the ministry to carry out projects in Lebanon, the military said, without elaborating. The developments came despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that took effect at midnight between April 16 and 17, following weeks of intensified cross-border fighting linked to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Meanwhile, Israel views the extension of the current ceasefire through mid-May as the final window for reaching a permanent agreement with Lebanon, state-owned Kan TV reported Tuesday, citing Israeli officials. A government source told the broadcaster that Israel has agreed to continue talks for two more weeks but intends to escalate military operations targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon if no permanent deal is reached. The White House is seeking to arrange a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, though officials from both sides expressed skepticism about the meeting's feasibility, according to the report. Meanwhile, Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel would continue its attacks despite the talks and the ceasefire. In a video statement after the Israeli military destroyed Hezbollah tunnels in southern Lebanon, he said troops would remain in what Israel describes as a security zone inside Lebanon. Two ambassador-level meetings have been held in Washington as Israeli troops remain deployed across southern Lebanon. Israel has carried out daily strikes in Lebanon, while Hezbollah has attacked Israeli forces with drones and gunfire. Israel and Hezbollah resumed fighting in early March amid the war with Iran. A 10-day ceasefire that took effect last week was extended on April 23 for an additional three weeks.