Israeli troops fired at residents of south Lebanon on Sunday, killing two and wounding 32, health officials said, as hundreds of people tried to return to their homes on the deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw from the area.

Israel was all but certain to miss Sunday's deadline, which is part of a ceasefire agreement that ended its war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group two months ago.

The deal that took effect on November 27 said the Lebanese army was to deploy alongside United Nations peacekeepers in the south as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period.

That period ends on Sunday.

Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli forces had opened fire in at least two border towns on "citizens who were trying to return to their villages", killing two and wounding 32.

The ministry had previously said the "aggression" had centred on the two villages of Houla and Kfar Kila.

Earlier, Lebanon's official National News Agency had reported that Israeli fire wounded several people in Kfar Kila "who crossed the barrier and checkpoint put in place by the occupation army", referring to Israel.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued a message earlier on Sunday to residents of more than 60 villages in southern Lebanon, including Kfar Kila and Houla, telling........

© International Business Times