Israel disregards US peace deal to strike southern Lebanon targets
Smoke rises near Beaufort Castle, which was occupied by Israeli forces, following an Israeli airstrike, southern Lebanon, June 17, 2026. (Reuters Photo)


Israeli forces conducted airstrikes on multiple areas in southern Lebanon Wednesday, state media reported, despite a Middle East peace deal that includes Lebanon.

Lebanon's National News Agency said Israeli warplanes launched raids targeting the Nabatieh al-Fawqa area and the eastern outskirts of neighbouring town Kfar Tebnit.

The Israelis also launched a drone strike on the town of Ansariyeh in the Zahrani area, NNA reported.

While violence has declined in Lebanon since a U.S.-Iran agreement to end the Middle East war was announced Monday, Israeli strikes on the south have still killed at least five people since the deal, according to NNA.

The reduction in violence has allowed some southern Lebanon residents to return and inspect their towns and villages, but the Lebanese army has urged locals to delay their return, citing "the risk of Israeli violations and attacks."

The Iran-backed armed group, Hezbollah, drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in early March by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in U.S.-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that an end to the conflict would be incomplete "without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories it occupied in this war."

"Any military attack by the Zionist regime on Lebanon from now on and the continued occupation of Lebanese territories from now on will be considered a violation of the memorandum of understanding in our view," he said.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his country's forces would remain in Lebanon "for as long as necessary."

Hezbollah has so far not issued any statements since Tuesday claiming attacks on Israeli targets in southern Lebanon.

The group's leader, Naim Qassem, is due to make a televised address Wednesday.

He expressed "profound gratitude" Tuesday for Iran's efforts "to compel the Israeli entity to an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon."

Lebanon's Health Ministry Tuesday raised the death toll in Israeli attacks since the war broke out to 3,826, as rescuers pulled more bodies from the rubble.