Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills seven, wounds 33

An Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese town of Ghazieh has killed at least seven people and wounded 33, the health ministry said Thursday, hours before a 10-day ceasefire between the two countries is scheduled to take effect.

Lebanese state media reported a “massacre against civilians” in the town, noting that rubble removal operations are ongoing, while the health ministry said its toll is “preliminary and not final.”

Separately on Thursday, Hezbollah called on Lebanese residents to postpone their return to the country’s south, the Bekaa valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, ahead of a ceasefire with Israel scheduled to start at midnight local time (2100 GMT).

“In the face of a treacherous enemy accustomed to violating covenants and agreements, we call on you to be patient and to refrain from heading to the targeted areas in the south, the Beqaa, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, until the situation becomes completely clear,” the movement said in a statement.

The Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee, in a statement, also advised people to wait “until you are certain that a ceasefire has been officially declared and has come into effect” and urged people to “wait until morning” before taking to the roads.