Dubai, UAE — Israeli air strikes and artillery attacks killed at least five people in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanese state media reported, testing a ceasefire agreed only a day earlier between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said an Israeli air strike hit the town of Arabsalim in the Nabatieh district, killing five people. It also reported a series of overnight attacks by Israeli warplanes and drones across southern Lebanon, alongside artillery shelling around Nabatieh before dawn.
The latest violence came less than 24 hours after U.S. and Qatari mediators brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah following one of the deadliest escalations since the broader regional conflict began earlier this year.
The truce was intended to halt fighting that intensified after Lebanese authorities reported 47 deaths from Israeli strikes on Friday, while Israel said four of its soldiers had been killed, marking the highest combined casualty toll since the United States and Iran reached a deal aimed at ending the wider Middle East war.
Ceasefire under pressure
The ceasefire announcement followed repeated exchanges of fire that had placed previous agreements under strain. A truce reached in April failed to prevent continued attacks by both sides, with each accusing the other of violations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned before Friday’s ceasefire that Hezbollah would pay a “heavy price” for attacks on Israeli forces. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir adopted a harder line after the deaths of Israeli soldiers, saying that “all of Lebanon must burn”.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said Israel remained committed to the ceasefire provided Hezbollah complied with its terms and halted hostilities.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, meanwhile, urged an end to Israeli military operations during a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to the Lebanese presidency.
The U.S. State Department said Rubio stressed the need for Lebanon to continue efforts to disarm Hezbollah and re-establish state authority across all Lebanese territory. The two sides are expected to hold another round of Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington from June 23-25.
U.S.-Iran talks postponed
The renewed fighting also coincided with the postponement of planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland that were intended to build on the agreement signed this week by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The discussions, originally expected to address unresolved issues including Iran’s nuclear programme, were delayed with no new date announced.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said there was “no urgency” to hold the meeting but added that talks were expected in the coming days. Switzerland said it remained ready to facilitate negotiations.
Iran has long argued that any regional settlement must include Lebanon, making continued Israeli military operations there a source of friction despite the broader U.S.-Iran agreement.
Hormuz traffic rebounds
One of the most significant provisions of the U.S.-Iran deal was the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which a large share of the world’s seaborne oil exports passes.
Maritime tracking data showed 25 commercial vessels transited the strait on Thursday, the busiest day since mid-April, signalling a recovery in shipping activity after weeks of disruption.
However, Iran’s maritime authority said vessels seeking passage through the waterway must submit transit requests 48 hours in advance, indicating that additional controls remain in place despite the reopening.
The Strait of Hormuz links the Gulf to global markets and is regarded as one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, making any disruption a major concern for oil traders and shipping companies.
