Israeli Strikes Kill 10 In Lebanon Despite Ceasefire; US-Iran Deal Faces Test (Worthy News Focus)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israeli strikes killed at least 10 people in Lebanon on Saturday despite a ceasefire that took effect hours earlier, officials said, with Israel claiming it was responding to attacks by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

The clashes, which Lebanese authorities said killed at least two children, raised fresh concerns about a fragile diplomatic effort linked to a U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at easing tensions across the Middle East.

Wednesday’s interim U.S.-Iran deal calls for military operations in Lebanon to cease while negotiators pursue talks on Iran’s nuclear program and broader regional security issues.

However, Israel, which was not a signatory to the agreement, says it will maintain forces in parts of southern Lebanon for security reasons.

US-IRAN DEAL TESTED

Before the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire took effect Friday afternoon, a deadly exchange between the two sides reportedly killed at least 47 people in Lebanon and four Israeli soldiers.

Soon afterward, their truce officially entered into force at 4 p.m. local time Friday, according to senior U.S. officials familiar with the negotiations.

However, the ceasefire quickly came under strain. Israel said Hezbollah fired more than 50 projectiles at its forces in southern Lebanon overnight, prompting retaliatory strikes. Hezbollah has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Lebanon’s National News Agency said Israeli strikes hit Nabatiyeh and nearby villages, killing at least 10 people. Several people were reportedly trapped beneath the rubble.

CEASEFIRE UNDER PRESSURE

A strike on the village of Barish killed four members of the same family, including two children, while additional deaths were reported in Arab Salim, Doueir, and Kfar Rumman, where drone strikes also killed a Lebanese soldier and a motorcyclist, according to Lebanese officials. The reported casualties could not immediately be independently verified.

Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said Israeli forces would continue operating in what he described as a “forward defense zone” in southern Lebanon.

Amid the clashes, Qatar, the United States, and Iran continued efforts to keep the ceasefire intact.

Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter said Israel remains committed to the truce if Hezbollah ceases hostilities.

MEDIATORS SEEK CALM

Hezbollah has said it will respect a ceasefire if Israel does the same, though it rejects any long-term Israeli military presence inside Lebanon.

Residents in the southern coastal city of Tyre reported Israeli aircraft flying overhead Saturday, fueling fears that the violence could resume on a larger scale.

Many residents expressed skepticism that any ceasefire would hold after months of warfare and repeated failed diplomatic efforts.

The renewed fighting has complicated plans for U.S.-Iran negotiations expected to begin in Switzerland.

TALKS DELAYED

Iranian officials postponed a planned trip for talks with U.S. representatives, saying the situation in Lebanon must stabilize first.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance also delayed a planned trip to Switzerland, where he had been expected to participate in talks with Iranian negotiators, adding to uncertainty surrounding the diplomatic process.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said consultations through mediators were continuing and suggested a new round of discussions could take place within days.

The talks are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran insists its activities are peaceful, but the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran possesses significant quantities of highly enriched uranium that could potentially be used for weapons if it chose to do so.

UNCERTAIN OUTLOOK

The interim accord provides a 60-day framework for negotiations and includes the possibility of sanctions relief, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, and reconstruction assistance if a broader agreement is reached.

The accord has already helped reopen the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns about disruptions to global energy supplies and contributing to lower oil prices.

Yet the latest violence underscored the fragility of both the ceasefire and diplomacy, with all sides under pressure to prevent further regional instability.

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