Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 18 as Israel says four soldiers killed by Hezbollah

Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 18 as Israel says four soldiers killed by Hezbollah12 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJessica RawnsleyReutersAt least 18 people have been killed in southern Lebanon following a series of Israeli air strikes overnight, the country's health ministry has said - while the Israeli military says four of its soldiers were also killed.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted militants and infrastructure linked to the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.It comes a day after the US and Iran signed a deal aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East, including a permanent cessation of hostilities in Lebanon.Both Israel and Hezbollah have carried out strikes against each other since the agreement was announced, raising questions about the future of the truce between the US and Iran.The US-Iran deal calls for an end to hostilities on all fronts and for Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty to be respected. However, Israel has said it has no intention of withdrawing its forces from Lebanon and has insisted that its conflict with Hezbollah was separate from the war on Iran.Lebanon's state news agency described the overnight bombardment across the Nabatieh district of southern Lebanon on Thursday as one of the most intense of the war, with at least 18 killed, 33 injured and several buildings hit.Hezbollah said it had ambushed an Israeli group in southern Lebanon, destroying three tanks with guided missiles, and targeting troops with rocket and artillery fire.Lebanon was drawn into the war between Israel, the US and Iran shortly after it began, with Hezbollah launching rockets into Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran's supreme leader.Israel responded by launching a bombing campaign across Lebanon and invading a significant part of the country's south, with the aim of driving back Hezbollah fighters from its northern border. At least 3,783 people have been killed and 11,699...