Israeli forces have killed 22 people in south Lebanon as a deadline for their withdrawal passed and thousands of people tried to return to their homes in defiance of Israeli military orders, Lebanese authorities said, according to Reuters.

Lebanon’s health ministry said 22 people were killed and another 124 wounded in numerous locations in the south, as a result of what it described as Israeli attacks on citizens while they were trying to enter their still-occupied towns.

The Israeli military said that its troops “operating in southern Lebanon fired warning shots to remove threats in a number of areas where suspects were identified approaching the troops”. It also said “a number of suspects … that posed an imminent threat” were apprehended.

Israel said earlier it would keep troops in the south beyond the Sunday deadline set out in a US-brokered ceasefire that halted last year’s conflict with Hezbollah, claiming Lebanon had not yet fully enforced terms requiring south Lebanon to be free of Hezbollah arms and the Lebanese army to be deployed.

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