Tensions have continued to escalate along the Israel-Lebanon border despite a renewed ceasefire announced by the United States less than 24 hours earlier. Israeli forces carried out a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon, resulting in significant casualties and raising concerns about the stability of the truce.
According to Lebanese state media, Israeli warplanes targeted around 20 locations across southern Lebanon. The country’s civil defence agency reported that at least 16 people were killed in the Nabatieh region. Witnesses on the ground described scenes of destruction, with thick smoke rising over the city following the attacks.
A photographer from AFP reported seeing heavy smoke covering parts of Nabatieh after the strikes, while another AFP journalist on the Israeli side of the border observed multiple explosions inside Lebanese territory. Large plumes of smoke were also seen near the historic Beaufort Castle, a strategic site that Israeli forces reportedly captured last month.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah maintained that it reserves the right to respond to Israeli military actions. A senior Hezbollah official told Reuters that the group would not allow Israel what it described as “freedom of movement” in territory it considers occupied by Israeli forces. The official added that armed resistance remains legitimate as long as Israeli troops remain present in Lebanese territory.
The latest violence has cast doubt on efforts to restore calm in the region. International observers are closely monitoring the situation as fears grow that continued military action could undermine the ceasefire and trigger a wider escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
