All articles tagged with #israel lebanon conflict
Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 11 people as violence surges despite US-brokered ceasefire deals; Lebanon’s leaders condemn the attacks and negotiations over withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament continue but remain fragile, with Israel saying it is targeting Hezbollah after attacks on soldiers while civilians bear the cost amid broader Gaza-related tensions.
Firefighters and residents in south Lebanon accuse Israel of starting wildfires with flares, drones and incendiary munitions in forests and scrubland since a June ceasefire, damaging ecosystems and livelihoods. Access to combat the blazes is tightly controlled through a Lebanese army deconfliction group, and environmentalists describe the pattern as ecocide aimed at degrading Lebanon’s environment and border villages.
In Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, a city largely emptied by Israeli bombardment and evacuation orders, residents salvage what remains as Beaufort Castle sits under Israeli occupation; thousands have been killed, tens of thousands displaced, and a dedicated paramedic corps has suffered heavy losses, with Amnesty International investigating a deadly March airstrike as locals vow to rebuild despite ongoing danger.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem denounced the U.S.-brokered framework for Israel-Lebanon security as “null and void,” accusing Beirut of unilateral concessions that would legitimize Israel’s military presence and pledging to keep up the armed resistance. The plan envisages phased Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon with Lebanese army deployment, while allowing Israel to remain in an expanded security zone for now. A Lebanese drone strike was reported in Nabatieh al-Fawqa amid ongoing hostilities, and more than a million Lebanese have been displaced. Qassem argued the Iran-U.S. memorandum guaranteeing Lebanon’s territorial integrity should be the basis to end the conflict, not Friday’s Washington deal.
Israeli troops opened fire in southern Lebanon near Nabatieh, killing two and wounding two and marking the first deaths in three days of the fragile US-brokered ceasefire. Hezbollah condemned the strike and warned of retaliation, while Israel said it targeted terrorists posing an immediate threat. A new round of US-mediated negotiations in Washington aims to solidify a ceasefire and security arrangements in southern Lebanon amid ongoing tensions.
Talks between the United States and Iran are set to resume Sunday in Switzerland’s Burgenstock, aiming for a final nuclear deal within 60 days under a MoU that calls for a permanent end to military operations on all fronts; Iran warns of reimposing the Strait of Hormuz restrictions amid Israeli strikes in Lebanon, as Qatar and Pakistan mediate and progress remains uncertain.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s incendiary ‘All of Lebanon must burn’ post after Hezbollah killed four Israeli soldiers, calling the remarks horrendous as regional tensions rise and a fragile ceasefire persists. The piece also notes Iran’s sharp rebuke, Israeli officials’ rhetoric about Lebanon’s displacement, and that since the conflict began on March 2, 2026, roughly 1.2 million people in Lebanon have been displaced and over 1,200 killed, according to Lebanese authorities.
Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon killed at least 22 people and threatened to derail U.S.–Iran negotiations on a broader ceasefire, complicating a fragile accord that underpins the talks. While U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner were en route and Iran’s attendance remained uncertain, mediators urged a ceasefire as a condition for progress. Hezbollah’s stance and ongoing clashes in Nabatieh, Barish, Tyre and the Bekaa Valley added to the fragility. A new round of Israel–Lebanon talks is scheduled in Washington for June 23–25, though Hezbollah’s exclusion and continuing violence may hamper any breakthrough.
Lebanon’s National News Agency says Israeli drone strikes hit three vehicles in southern Lebanon, killing four people (two in Mayfadoun in a double-tap and two in Shoukin) and wounding others, with a second strike after people gathered at the scene; there was no immediate comment from the IDF. Earlier, the IDF intercepted Hezbollah rockets toward an Israeli post and destroyed the rocket launcher, and also struck a suspicious vehicle near active troops.
Morning briefing: Trump pushes a hard line on Iran as exchanges of strikes and threats complicate a fragile ceasefire, with Washington saying it struck Iranian sites and Tehran threatening a US airbase; separately, a prosecutor withdraws from the Comey case over a seashell photo; Colombia’s Abelardo de la Espriella wins the first round and heads to a runoff; and other headlines cover European responses to Israel’s Lebanon incursion and a slate of global briefs.
Israeli forces captured Beaufort Castle, a Crusades-era fortress perched above the Litani gorge in southern Lebanon, in what researchers describe as the deepest incursion into Lebanon in more than 25 years; the site’s long history spans Frankish construction in 1139, Saladin’s 1190 conquest, and a later period of Knights Templar control before returning to Muslim rule.
The May 31 Iran Update notes Trump seeking amendments to the US-Iran MoU—on HEU handling and Strait of Hormuz provisions—as Washington and Tehran clash over enrichment, sanctions relief, and timing. It also covers disputed interpretations of an 'open' Hormuz, Iran’s missile strikes on Iraqi Kurdistan, escalating Israeli-Lebanese clashes including Hezbollah rockets and the Beaufort Castle operation, and a US push to curb Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, with Iran expanding trade routes via the Caspian as maritime capacity remains constrained. The report reflects a tense 24-hour mix of diplomacy and battlefield moves.
Israel says its forces have crossed the Litani River in southern Lebanon, signaling an expanded offensive as the wider conflict persists. At the same time, Gaza and broader regional tensions continue to drive international concern, with UN warnings over civilian harm as Israel contemplates taking more territory. Diplomacy remains active but fragile: the United States and Iran pursue a ceasefire extension and a potential nuclear deal, contingent on actions and concessions rather than assurances, while mediators and key officials from Pakistan and other partners weigh conditions and timelines. Several senior figures—Trump, Vance, Araqchi, and Qalibaf—each frame possibilities differently, underscoring the volatility of negotiations amid ongoing fighting.
Israel widened its air campaign with strikes on Hezbollah targets in Tyre after ordering the city’s evacuation, as fighting in southern Lebanon escalates and Hezbollah clashes persist near the Litani river. The move comes as Netanyahu expands a ground operation following drone attacks, with dozens killed and thousands displaced across the region over the past day.
An Israeli airstrike killed 12 people in Mashghara, Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, as Israel announced additional troop mobilization and intensified strikes against Hezbollah, with talks planned in Washington amid ongoing regional tensions and civilian displacement.