At least 18 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon overnight, in some of the heaviest bombardment of recent weeks, casting fresh doubt over the fragile US-Iran peace agreement just days after it was signed.
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the death toll has risen to 18 following Israeli airstrikes and shelling that hit several towns in the Nabatieh district overnight and into the early morning. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency described the bombardment as among the most intense seen in recent weeks. Residents and local media reported strikes across multiple sites in the area.
Israel’s military confirmed it had targeted what it described as Hezbollah militants and infrastructure at several southern locations, saying the strikes were carried out in response to repeated violations of the ceasefire by the Iran-backed group.
An end to the fighting in Lebanon forms a key element of the broader agreement reached between Iran and the United States, which is intended to bring an end to the wider conflict and establish a 60-day window for negotiations on outstanding issues, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. But Israel has refused calls to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah has continued launching attacks on Israeli positions. A senior Israeli official said the country was engaged in “stubborn negotiations” with the Trump administration over keeping troops deployed 10km inside Lebanese territory as it continues operations against Hezbollah.
France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, called on Israel to halt its attacks and urged Washington to apply pressure on its ally to bring the fighting in Lebanon to an end. His comments came after the Israeli government indicated yesterday that it would not rule out attacks beyond the area it currently occupies — a stance that directly challenges the terms of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement.
The escalation adds further uncertainty to a peace process already under significant strain, with planned talks in Switzerland between Tehran and Washington reportedly called off as the situation on the ground in Lebanon continues to deteriorate.
