A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has come under immediate pressure after Israeli forces launched fresh airstrikes across southern Lebanon, killing at least 20 people, according to Lebanese officials, less than 24 hours after a US-backed truce was announced.
The escalation followed what the Israeli military described as repeated Hezbollah attacks involving more than 50 projectiles fired at Israeli positions near the northern border. One of the attacks killed four Israeli soldiers near Bint Jbeil, marking one of the deadliest Hezbollah strikes in recent months.
Israel said its latest military operation was a direct response to those attacks and remained within the framework of the ceasefire. Hezbollah rejected that claim, accusing Israel of violating the truce first through continued military presence inside southern Lebanon and repeated strikes after the agreement took effect.
The renewed violence has raised immediate doubts over whether the ceasefire can survive, with regional diplomacy and civilian safety once again under threat.
The Trigger
The ceasefire had been intended to halt months of cross-border fighting that intensified alongside the war in Gaza. But within hours of taking effect, violence resumed.
Israeli officials said Hezbollah launched a barrage of projectiles, including mortar fire and drones, at several military posts near Bint Jbeil and Metula. One direct strike killed four Israeli soldiers and wounded several others.
The Israeli military described the attack as a serious violation of the truce.
In response, Israeli fighter jets and artillery struck what the military called Hezbollah launch sites, command positions and weapons facilities across southern Lebanon and parts of the Bekaa Valley.
Lebanese health authorities said several residential areas were also hit, causing civilian casualties and heavy structural damage. Emergency crews continued rescue operations through the day.
The speed of the escalation has exposed how fragile the ceasefire remains, with both sides blaming each other for breaking it first.
Netanyahu’s Warning
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now facing pressure both at home and abroad as the ceasefire appears increasingly unstable.
Israeli media reported that Netanyahu held emergency consultations with military and intelligence chiefs after the deaths of the four soldiers and instructed the military to avoid launching a wider offensive for now.
That move reportedly followed pressure from Washington, which has been pushing to contain the conflict and prevent it from becoming a broader regional war.
In a statement, Netanyahu said, “Israel remains committed to the ceasefire, but any attack against our soldiers or civilians will be met with force.”
Inside Israel, hardline political allies have called for a stronger response, arguing that Hezbollah’s latest attack shows the ceasefire cannot hold without greater military pressure.
Military analysts say Netanyahu is trying to preserve deterrence while avoiding the opening of another major front while operations in Gaza continue.
Lebanon’s Position
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of violating the truce and worsening civilian suffering.
In a statement, Salam said, “Lebanon remains committed to calm, but Israeli aggression continues against our land and our people.”
He called for urgent international intervention to prevent further escalation.
Hezbollah has defended its attacks by arguing that Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire agreement.
The group said, “Israel cannot have freedom of movement in occupied Lebanese territory.”
Israel says its continued presence in a security zone inside southern Lebanon is necessary to prevent infiltration and protect northern communities.
That disagreement remains one of the main reasons the ceasefire remains deeply unstable.
Lebanese officials also accused Israel of multiple violations since the truce began, including artillery fire, surveillance flights and troop movement.
Civilian Cost
For civilians in southern Lebanon, the ceasefire had briefly offered hope of a return to normal life.
Thousands of displaced families had begun returning to border villages after the truce was announced. Many are now fleeing again.
Lebanese authorities said several of Saturday’s strikes hit residential buildings. In Barish, a father, mother and their two children were killed after an Israeli strike hit a three-storey building.
In another strike, a Lebanese soldier was killed on the Kfarrumman-Nabatieh road.
Hospitals in Tyre and Nabatieh remain under severe pressure as rescue teams continue to recover bodies and treat the wounded.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said, “The people of southern Lebanon cannot continue paying the price of repeated war.”
Lebanon says at least 4,057 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since March 2, highlighting the scale of destruction already suffered.
Aid groups warn that repeated ceasefire failures are making long-term recovery almost impossible.
Regional Stakes
The latest fighting comes at a critical diplomatic moment.
The ceasefire was tied to wider US-Iran efforts aimed at reducing tensions across the region, including in Lebanon, Gaza and the Gulf.
Those talks are now under strain.
Iran has condemned Israel’s latest strikes and accused it of undermining regional stability. As Hezbollah’s main backer, Tehran remains central to any broader escalation.
Security analysts warn that if the truce collapses fully, the conflict could quickly spread through Iran-backed networks in Syria and Iraq, while also increasing pressure around the Strait of Hormuz.
For Washington, that would represent a major diplomatic setback.
For Israel and Hezbollah, it could mean another long and costly confrontation.
And for Lebanon, already struggling with economic collapse and political instability, renewed war would bring even deeper devastation.
For now, the ceasefire remains in place on paper.
But on the ground, the fighting suggests peace is already slipping away.
