Israel has resumed air strikes on southern Lebanon just days after signing a United States-brokered agreement aimed at ending months of conflict, raising fresh concerns over the durability of the fragile peace deal.
The latest strikes took place on Sunday, only two days after the framework agreement was signed in Washington following five rounds of negotiations. Lebanese state media reported multiple attacks in southern Lebanon, while the country’s Health Ministry confirmed one person was killed in an Israeli strike on Saturday—the first reported fatality since the agreement was reached.
Israeli forces said the strikes targeted Hezbollah fighters near the buffer zone occupied by Israeli troops. The Israeli military also confirmed the death of Captain David Hazutt, 21, a platoon commander in the elite Golani Brigade, while another soldier sustained minor injuries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the agreement as “historic,” calling it a major setback for Iran and Hezbollah. However, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli troops would remain in the buffer zone until Hezbollah is fully disarmed.
The agreement has faced strong opposition from both Hezbollah and far-right Israeli politicians. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the framework, calling it a surrender of Lebanon’s sovereignty, while party lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah warned that attempts to enforce the deal could trigger internal conflict.
The conflict began on March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes. Israel responded with extensive air raids and a ground offensive, with Lebanon’s Health Ministry reporting more than 4,200 deaths since the fighting began.
Iran has urged Washington to compel Israel to halt its military operations and withdraw from Lebanese territory, arguing that the latest strikes violate the newly signed agreement.
