Israel hits Hezbollah targets in Lebanon amid Trump-backed deal; 16 reported killed

Israel carried out a new wave of airstrikes in southern Lebanon overnight, targeting what it described as Hezbollah militants and infrastructure, even as the United States continues efforts to implement a ceasefire framework agreed with Iran. Lebanese state media reported that at least 16 people were killed in the attacks, though it did not specify how many were civilians or combatants.

Israeli military cites Hezbollah ceasefire violations

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strikes were launched in response to repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group operating in southern Lebanon.

According to Israeli military officials, attacks were carried out against Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure across several areas in southern Lebanon, with operations continuing into Friday.

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The latest strikes mark the second major Israeli attack in Lebanon since US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Versailles, France, on Thursday.

Ceasefire deal calls for halt to hostilities

The US-Iran agreement, signed after months of conflict, called for the cessation of military action against Iran and across all related fronts, including Lebanon.

Following the signing of the deal, Trump said Washington expected "a complete ceasefire on all fronts", including between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We encourage everyone in the Middle East region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Earlier strikes killed three

The first reported violation of the ceasefire framework came shortly after the agreement was signed, when Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least three people, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

The agency reported that an Israeli drone strike hit a vehicle near Kfar Tebnit, killing two people, while another strike in the town of Zabadin killed at least one person.

Hezbollah claims it repelled Israeli operation

Hezbollah said it had halted a four-day Israeli military operation that it claimed was aimed at pushing deeper into southern Lebanon.

In a statement, the group said its fighters targeted Israeli troops and tanks using drones, rockets and artillery, preventing Israeli forces from advancing towards Kfar Tebnit.

The latest escalation highlights the fragility of the ceasefire efforts, with violence continuing in Lebanon despite the US-Iran agreement's call for an end to hostilities across the region.