• Israeli drone strikes in Lebanon killed three individuals over the weekend.
• Strikes targeted alleged arms smugglers affiliated with Hezbollah.
• The European Union condemned the attacks, urging adherence to the ceasefire.
• Lebanon's government criticized Israel's actions as destabilizing and illegal.

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two brothers, during an air raid on Saturday. The brothers were reportedly killed while driving near Mount Hermon, as their vehicle was struck by an Israeli drone, igniting the SUV and causing fatalities. This incident has been confirmed by Lebanon's National News Agency, which also noted that a separate strike in the village of Baraashit killed another individual and wounded several others, according to Lebanon’s health ministry and aljazeera, Indiatimes, and South China Morning Post.

The Israeli military asserted that the strikes targeted members of the "Lebanese Resistance Brigades," a group said to be involved in smuggling weapons used by Hezbollah. Claims from the Israeli government emphasized that these operations were necessary to eliminate threats to its national security, reflecting ongoing tensions in the region. Despite this, the attacks disregarded a ceasefire established nearly a year ago, as per the reports from the Lebanese National News Agency and confirmed by the Israeli military statements covered by aljazeera, Indiatimes, and South China Morning Post.

The European Union has voiced strong condemnation regarding these recent escalations, calling on all parties involved to preserve the ceasefire and adhere to the agreements made in the past year. Anouar El Anouni, spokesperson for EU foreign affairs, stated, “Focus by all parties must be on preserving the ceasefire and the progress achieved so far,” highlighting the international community's concerns about destabilization in the region, according to sources from aljazeera and South China Morning Post.

The Lebanese government, including President Joseph Aoun, has condemned these strikes as violations of international law, claiming they undermine Lebanon’s stability. The situation remains tense as both Israel and Lebanon are technically still in a state of war, continuing a cycle of conflict largely characterized by actions taken by Hezbollah rather than the Lebanese military. The ongoing hostilities have drawn attention from the global community as tensions rise in a region still reeling from historic conflicts and disputes, as noted by aljazeera, Indiatimes, and South China Morning Post.