Islamist leader among 2 dead in strikes on Lebanon blamed on Israel

BEIRUT, Lebanon — A military leader from Hamas-aligned Lebanese Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya died Tuesday in an Israeli strike south of Beirut, a security official said, as authorities reported another dead in a separate raid.

Israel has continued to carry out regular strikes on Lebanon despite a November truce with militant group Hizbollah that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities between the foes including two months of all-out war.

Lebanon's civil defence said "an Israeli drone targeted a car" near the coastal town of Damour, about 20 kilometres south of Beirut, and rescuers recovered a man's body from the vehicle.

Jamaa Islamiya in a statement announced the death of Hussein Atoui, described as "an academic leader and university professor".

It said an Israeli drone strike "targeted his car as he was travelling to his workplace in Beirut".

A security official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said Atoui was a leader of Jamaa Islamiya's armed wing, the Al Fajr Forces.

An AFP photographer saw the charred wreckage of a car at the scene. The Lebanese army had cordoned off the area and forensic teams were conducting an inspection.

Jamaa Islamiya, closely linked to both Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah, claimed responsibility for multiple attacks against Israel before the November 27 ceasefire.

Also Tuesday, Lebanon's health ministry said an "Israeli enemy" strike in south Lebanon's Tyre district killed one person.

Under the truce, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon's Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.

Israel was to withdraw all its forces from south Lebanon, but troops remain in five positions that it deems "strategic".

Israel on Sunday said it killed two senior members of Hezbollah in strikes on Lebanon.

After unclaimed rocket fire against Israel in late March, Lebanon's army said last week it had arrested several Lebanese and Palestinian suspects, while a security official said they included three Hamas members.