Nine people have been killed in Israeli strikes on villages in southern Lebanon in the past day, after Israel claimed it was taking aim at dozens of Hezbollah targets in retaliation for an attack claimed by the group amid a fragile ceasefire, AFP reports.

Both Israel and Hezbollah faced accusations yesterday of breaching the truce, which took effect on Wednesday to end a conflict that has killed thousands of people in Lebanon and sparked mass displacements on both sides of the border.

Lebanon’s health ministry said the strikes killed five people and wounded two in the village of Haris “in an initial toll”, while in the village of Tallous, another four people were killed and one wounded.

The Israeli military in a statement claimed it “struck Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure throughout Lebanon”.

“Israel demands that the relevant parties in Lebanon fulfil their responsibilities and prevent Hezbollah’s hostile activity,” the statement said.