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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and Morgan Ortagus, U.S. Deputy Special Representative for the Middle East, traveled to the Lebanese border on Sunday as Israeli air operations continued in southern Lebanon.
The two officials received briefings on Hezbollah's activities in Lebanon and the group's efforts to rebuild infrastructure, according to a statement from Israel's Defense Ministry.
The early-morning border visit followed Israeli airstrikes in the region. Katz briefed Ortagus on the military operations during the visit, which was also attended by Yechiel Leiter, Israel's ambassador to the United States, and Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
Earlier Sunday, Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon killed three people and wounded two others, according to reports.
The visit comes nearly a year after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024. That agreement followed months of escalating conflict that began with Israeli attacks in October 2023 and expanded into a full-scale war in September 2024.
The war claimed more than 4,000 lives and left approximately 17,000 wounded before the ceasefire took effect.
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Despite the truce, Israel has reportedly violated the ceasefire more than 4,500 times, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties. Israel continues to occupy five hilltops captured during the recent conflict and maintains its presence in certain areas it has held for decades.
The international community has called for full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, though violations have persisted on both sides.
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