At least 18 people have been killed in southern Lebanon following a wave of overnight Israeli airstrikes, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, while the Israeli military says four of its soldiers were killed in separate clashes with Hezbollah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strikes targeted militants and infrastructure linked to the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
The escalation comes just a day after the United States and Iran signed an agreement aimed at ending the wider Middle East conflict, including provisions calling for a permanent halt to hostilities in Lebanon.
Despite the agreement, both Israel and Hezbollah have continued exchanging attacks, casting doubt on the durability of the truce framework.
The US-Iran deal calls for an end to military operations across the region and emphasizes respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, Israel has maintained that its campaign against Hezbollah is separate from the conflict involving Iran and has insisted that it will not withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory.
Lebanon’s National News Agency described Thursday’s bombardment across the Nabatieh district as one of the most intense assaults since the conflict began.
According to Lebanese authorities, at least 18 people were killed, 33 others injured, and several buildings damaged during the strikes.
Hezbollah said it carried out an ambush against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, claiming to have destroyed three tanks using guided missiles while also targeting soldiers with rocket and artillery attacks.
The latest confrontation is part of the broader conflict that intensified after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel following a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader.
Israel responded by expanding military operations in Lebanon, launching extensive airstrikes and ground incursions into the south with the stated aim of pushing Hezbollah fighters away from its northern border.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, at least 3,783 people have been killed and 11,699 wounded since the latest phase of the conflict began.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing growing domestic pressure to continue military operations against Hezbollah, a position that could deepen tensions with US President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized Israel’s actions in Lebanon.
Following the deaths of the four Israeli soldiers, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a strongly worded response.
“With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not up for bargaining,” he said in a statement.
He also declared that “all of Lebanon must burn”.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called on Israel to comply with the agreement and urged the United States to pressure the Israeli government to respect the terms of the deal.
The US-Iran agreement includes provisions covering Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, and a commitment by both parties to work toward a comprehensive settlement within 60 days, with the possibility of extending the timeline by mutual consent.
Efforts to advance the agreement have already encountered challenges.
A fresh round of direct negotiations scheduled for Friday was postponed after US Vice-President JD Vance cancelled his planned visit to Switzerland.
Vance has previously criticized members of Netanyahu’s cabinet who oppose the deal, urging them to “wake up and smell reality”.
“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” he told reporters.
In an interview with the New York Times, Vance specifically identified Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as critics of the agreement.
“I guess my response to them would be – what is your exact proposal? You’re a country of nine million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.”
Despite disagreements over the agreement, Netanyahu stressed on Thursday that the relationship between Israel and the United States remains vital.
He said Washington had stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Israel throughout the conflict with Iran.
However, reports suggest tensions have emerged behind the scenes, with leaks indicating that Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with Netanyahu during private conversations.
US officials have also clarified that while Lebanon falls under the broader ceasefire framework, the agreement does not require Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory and preserves Israel’s right to self-defence.
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