Israel launches continued airstrikes in Lebanon despite agreed ceasefire

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At least 47 people killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since midnight as US-Iran talks stall.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah took effect at 4pm local time (1300GMT) on Friday, but reports indicate that at least 12 Israeli air raids and artillery shelling hit southern Lebanon after the deadline. The Lebanese health ministry has confirmed that at least 47 people have been killed and 97 others wounded in attacks starting at midnight.

According to officials from the United States and the Gulf, a ceasefire was agreed upon through US and Qatari mediation, with Iran’s help. A senior US official stated that the agreement aimed to stop the escalation in Lebanon from derailing a broader push to turn an interim US-Iran agreement into a lasting regional peace deal.

Hezbollah officials have confirmed that they will abide by the ceasefire if Israel does so as well. However, Israeli military spokespersons have stated that Israeli forces will retain “operational freedom” to respond to perceived threats in southern Lebanon, which has raised questions about the meaning of the ceasefire for residents in the area.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned comments made by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for a massive escalation and threatened to burn Lebanon. Araghchi described Ben-Gvir’s comments as “not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic” but rather a public statement from the Israeli national security minister.

The situation remains fluid, with ongoing reports of military activity in southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire agreement.

Source: Al Jazeera