Israeli airstrike kills Lebanese man in latest deadly border attack

An Israeli strike killed a Lebanese man in the south of the country on Sunday, according to the Lebanese health ministry and the country's main news agency.

The ministry said the strike hit a car in the town of al-Mansouri, south of Tyre and just over 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Israeli border, and "resulted in the martyrdom of a citizen".

A report from Lebanon's National News Agency identified the deceased as Muhammad Ali Shuweikh and said he was a school principal in al-Mansouri.

Israel's military claimed that Shuweikh was a Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon and the local representative for the Lebanese group in the area.

"Yesterday evening (Sunday)... The [Israeli military] struck and eliminated Hezbollah terrorist Muhammad Ali Shuweikh in the Mansouri area in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

"He was responsible for communication between the terror organisation and the residents of the area regarding financial and military subjects. Additionally, the terrorist operated to seize private assets for terror use," the statement further claimed.

"The terrorists' activities constituted a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

In November last year, Lebanon and Israel agreed a ceasefire to end more than a year of fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah group, which broke out after the start of the Gaza war.

Under the deal, Israel was to withdraw its forces from south Lebanon, but it has kept them at five areas it deems strategic.

It has also carried out regular strikes on targets in Lebanon, arguing it is hitting Hezbollah sites and operatives.

The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said Israeli soldiers shot at its troops on Sunday in the south of the country, while Israel's military alleged it had spotted two suspects and fired warning shots.

The Israeli military cited "poor weather conditions" and said it had not deliberately directed fire towards United Nations troops.