Lebanon has accused an Israeli drone strike of killing five individuals, including four U.S. citizens, in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil. Reports indicated the attack resulted in the deaths of three children. Lebanese officials initially claimed a U.S.-citizen family was among the victims, with Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri stating that a father and his three children were killed. However, the U.S. State Department refuted these claims, asserting that “indications are that the five killed were not U.S. citizens.”

The Israeli military acknowledged striking a Hezbollah operator but admitted to the deaths of “several uninvolved civilians,” expressing regret for the harm caused. Lebanese state-run NNA news reported that a drone fired two missiles at a motorcycle and a Mercedes car, killing the motorcyclist and the father and his children inside the vehicle. A U.S. citizen with an unused immigrant visa petition was among the deceased, according to journalist Mario Nawfal.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike, calling for international pressure on Israel to cease hostilities, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the attack as a “message of intimidation” targeting civilians returning to southern villages. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has previously displaced thousands in Lebanon, with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire aimed at halting violence. The IDF reiterated its stance that it is targeting Hezbollah operatives, vowing to neutralize threats to Israel.