AN ISRAELI drone strike in southern Lebanon today killed a senior Hamas official, it was confirmed.

Israel said it targeted Muhammad Ibrahim Shaheen for “recently planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran, from Lebanese territory against the citizens of the state of Israel.”

Hamas confirmed the death but called him a military commander.

Meanwhile, Israeli tanks pushed through the town of Kfarchouba in southern Lebanon near the border today.

Israel’s military spokesman, Lt-Col Nadav Shoshani, said that troops will remain in Lebanon from tomorrow despite their removal required by the ceasefire deal.

“Based on the current situation, we will leave small amounts of troops deployed temporarily in five strategic points along the border in Lebanon,” he said.

He said the temporary measure” was approved by a US-led body monitoring the agreement.

But Lebanese officials have demanded Israel’s full withdrawal by tomorrow after Israeli forces missed an earlier January cut-off.

President Joseph Aoun said that the ceasefire “must be respected,” saying “the Israeli enemy cannot be trusted.”