Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Saturday morning resulted in the deaths of at least 16 people, including two children, as reported by Lebanese civil defense and media. This occurred a day after the U.S. indicated that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a new ceasefire at the request of President Donald Trump.
The Lebanese news agency NNA reported that several towns in Lebanon’s south were targeted early Saturday. An airstrike on the town of Arabsalim caused three fatalities, while a drone strike in Deir al-Zahrani claimed one life. The agency noted that at least seven individuals remain trapped under the rubble. Lebanon’s army confirmed that a soldier was killed between Kfar Rumman and Nabatieh.
The Israel Defense Forces released a statement claiming Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by launching over 50 projectiles towards Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. In response, Israeli forces attacked targets associated with Hezbollah. The statement asserted, “The IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreement.”
Hezbollah, supported by Iran, accused Israel of making “false claims to justify its violation of the ceasefire,” maintaining their adherence to the ceasefire since Friday evening.
These attacks occurred as ongoing Israeli strikes threaten to undermine U.S. peace talks with Iran. This comes a day after President Trump requested Israel to pause strikes on Lebanon. Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. stated that Israel would cease “offensive operations.”
On Saturday, smoke was observed rising from the town of Shweikin and the Ali al-Tahir hill area in the Nabatieh Governorate following Israeli airstrikes. Ramiz Dallah of Anadolu News captured the scene.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, mentioned that Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, was in Tehran to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as per the Iranian Students’ News Agency. Baghaei noted ongoing talks with Pakistan as part of the next negotiation phase.
Officials from Washington and Tehran scheduled a meeting in Switzerland set to begin 60 days of negotiations for a “final” deal; however, these talks have been postponed. The negotiations aim to address unresolved issues related to Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to immediately end all fighting, including in Lebanon. Although Israel is not directly involved in this agreement, Iran cautioned that further Israeli strikes might breach the terms.
U.S. intelligence reports suggest that Israel might continue targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, potentially jeopardizing the tentative peace agreement.
Photographs, such as those by Abbas Fakih of AFP via Getty Images, depict plumes of smoke from the city of Nabatieh following Israeli airstrikes.
The ongoing strikes occur amidst tensions between the Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose far-right allies criticize the peace deal. Netanyahu faces an October election and may rely on far-right support.
Jonathan Panikoff, a former intelligence officer at the Atlantic Council, noted, “Netanyahu is in a challenging political spot,” due to this situation and the strategic positioning of Iran. Netanyahu’s strategy to occupy southern Lebanon and target Iran has stalled negotiations, causing frustration among U.S. officials.
On Thursday, Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Israeli officials, stating that Israel undervalues American assistance.
Despite rising tensions over Lebanon, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains steady since the deal’s signing. Experts caution that normalization may take weeks, due to remaining threats of mines.
IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin affirmed on Friday that Israeli forces will persist in southern Lebanon, emphasizing their duty to “do whatever is necessary to protect our civilians.”