ALBAWABA- Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling continued across southern Lebanon on Friday, leaving at least eight people dead and seven others missing beneath the rubble, despite reports that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to renew a fragile ceasefire, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).
Rescue teams and civil defense workers continued searching through collapsed buildings as families anxiously awaited news of missing relatives. Lebanese authorities said the casualties occurred during a wave of Israeli attacks that struck multiple towns and villages in southern Lebanon, raising concerns over the viability of the newly restored truce.
The Israeli military said it had targeted more than 150 Hezbollah sites since midnight, including locations in Jabal al-Rafi', Shoukine, Al-Rihan, and Adchit. Israel said the operations were launched in response to Hezbollah attacks on advancing Israeli forces. It accused the group of violating the ceasefire by targeting tanks and military positions in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, said its fighters had inflicted significant losses on Israeli forces, claiming to have struck several Merkava tanks and troop concentrations using guided missiles, drones, and artillery.
The latest violence came despite a White House official confirming that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to renew the ceasefire in an effort to prevent a broader escalation that could jeopardize ongoing regional diplomacy.
The renewed hostilities have already affected international efforts to stabilize the region. Technical talks between the United States and Iran, scheduled to take place in Switzerland as part of a recently signed 60-day agreement, have been postponed amid concerns over the situation in Lebanon.
Hezbollah's acting Secretary-General Naim Qassem accused Israel of attempting to impose new “security zones” in southern Lebanon and rejected calls for the group to disarm. He reiterated Hezbollah's demand for a full Israeli withdrawal and described the conflict as part of a wider campaign against the so-called “Axis of Resistance.”
Israeli officials, however, have maintained that military operations will continue. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon “for as long as necessary” to guarantee security along Israel's northern border.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also called for a harsher military response, writing on X that Israel should abandon what he described as restrained measures and intensify its campaign in Lebanon.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that Israel will maintain security zones in Lebanon, as well as in Gaza and Syria, for as long as national security demands.
