At least nine people were killed in southern Lebanon on Wednesday as Israeli airstrikes targeted the area, according to Lebanese authorities. The dead included two paramedics whose ambulance was hit in the Chehour region, the health ministry reported.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah group claimed it fired rockets into northern Israel, while the Israeli military said it intercepted a drone and two projectiles crossing the border. These incidents test the partial ceasefire agreed upon Monday, which stipulates that Israel refrains from bombing Beirut in exchange for Hezbollah halting attacks on Israel.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope for an action plan to stabilize Lebanon independent of Hezbollah. The ceasefire, brokered by the US, is fragile as both sides accuse each other of violations.

The conflict began on March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel. Since then, over 3,516 people have died in Lebanon, and more than one million have been displaced. Israel reports 26 soldiers and four civilians killed.

The Lebanese army reported one soldier killed and two wounded in Israeli strikes, accusing Israel of deliberately targeting military personnel. An Israeli strike near Beirut, the closest since the ceasefire, injured two people.

US President Donald Trump allegedly called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'crazy' and urged him to stop bombing Beirut. Netanyahu downplayed the disagreement as 'tactical.' The US fears escalation could derail broader efforts to end the war between the US, Israel, and Iran.

Source: www.bbc.com