Two killed in south Lebanon olive harvest, media says

Two men were killed during the annual olive harvest in south Lebanon on Sunday, one by Israeli shelling and the other by an explosive remnant of war, according to official media and a local mayor.

Lebanon's National News Agency said a retired soldier was killed in Yater, in Bint Jbeil district, after Israeli artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of the town while he was inspecting his land and olive harvest.

The agency also reported that a “foreign object” left over from Israeli operations in Froun, in the same district, exploded and killed an engineer as he and others tended their trees.

Froun mayor Hassan Bazzi said the engineer had come from Beirut for the harvest. Bazzi said residents called off the harvest and were waiting for the Lebanese army to complete decontamination work in the village.

Violence in south Lebanon has diminished but not stopped since a June framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Israel still occupies a band of territory along the border, while Hezbollah has refused government plans to disarm it.