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An Israeli strike killed three Lebanese troops in south Lebanon on Thursday as France hosted a conference to rally support for Lebanese state forces which are seen as vital to any diplomatic resolution of the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The Lebanese soldiers were killed as they were evacuating wounded people on the outskirts of southern village of Yater, the Lebanese army said.
They were killed at around 4:15 am (12:15 pm AEDT), a security source said.
There was no immediate comment on the strike from the Israeli military, which has previously said it is not operating against the Lebanese army.
The area is part of the border region pounded by Israel during its month-long offensive against the heavily armed, Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, in a conflict that spiralled out of the Gaza war.
With more than 2,500 people killed in Lebanon and over 1 million forced from their homes, according to Lebanese authorities, the Paris conference aims to mobilise both humanitarian aid and support for the Lebanese military.
The Lebanese army, a recipient of US support, has little sway on the ground in Hezbollah’s strongholds in southern Lebanon.
It recruits from across Lebanon’s myriad sectarian communities and has been regarded as a peace guarantor since the 1975-90 civil war.
Its deployment into the south is a key part of UN Security Council resolution 1701 that ended a 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.
The Paris meeting is set to reiterate that resolution 1701 should be the basis for a cessation to the current hostilities.
“There needs to be a ceasefire in Lebanon. More damage, more victims, more strikes will not enable the end of terrorism or ensure security for everyone,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.
He said the conference would support the recruitment of 6,000 Lebanese troops and provide the army with key supplies.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Beirut could deploy 8,000 soldiers as part of a ceasefire plan but appealed for international financial support and training.
“The storm we are currently witnessing is unlike any other, because it carries the seeds of total destruction, not only for our country, but for all human values,” Mikati said.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday that Washington had concerns about strikes against the Lebanese armed forces while urging Israel to take steps to ensure the safety of the Lebanese army and the the Pentagon said.
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