BEIRUT, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and 13 others injured on Tuesday in an Israeli drone strike near the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

The Public Health Emergency Operations Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Health, said in a statement that most of the casualties were bystanders and workers in nearby shops and businesses.

A security source told Xinhua that the drone initially targeted a vehicle with a missile that missed its mark and exploded on a public road in the town of Al-Ayrouniyeh, prompting the car's occupants to flee. A second missile then struck the vehicle directly, setting it ablaze.

Israeli media reported that the intended target was Mehran Mustafa Baajour, head of the planning department in the construction wing of Hamas in Tripoli. However, Lebanon's LBCI television network reported that the assassination attempt failed.

The incident marks the first Israeli airstrike to reach deep into northern Lebanon since the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024. The truce, brokered by the United States and France, was intended to end more than a year of cross-border hostilities.

Despite the agreement being in effect, Israel continues to carry out daily airstrikes on areas in the south and east of the country, claiming they are to eliminate Hezbollah "threats."

Meanwhile, in southern Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle in the town of Babliyeh in the city of Sidon, resulting in one killed, the public health center said.

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that the person killed was Hussein Ali Mezher, a Hezbollah official, though his specific role was not disclosed.