Israel drone strike kills driver in Lebanese village amid US‑Iran peace deal

An Israeli drone hit a car in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit on 15 May, killing the driver and wounding Lebanese journalist Hadi Abdel Moneim Hoteit, who was taken to Hospital Najdeh Shaabia for leg surgery. The attack came hours after the United States and Iran announced a peace agreement that includes a cease‑fire in Lebanon, with a memorandum expected to be signed in Geneva on 19 May.

Hezbollah later said it attacked an Israeli army convoy at the same location, forcing Israeli forces to retreat. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he does not know the details of the US‑Iran deal and reiterated that Israel will remain in the Lebanese security zone as long as necessary. The Lebanese army warned residents of the south not to return to their homes pending verification of the cease‑fire. Since the current phase of the Israel‑Hezbollah conflict began on 2 March, 3,700 people have been killed and 11,700 injured in Lebanon.

The incident highlights the fragility of the emerging US‑Iran peace framework and the risk that renewed hostilities on the Israel‑Lebanon front could derail broader regional negotiations.