Tensions in the region remain critical as Israeli airstrikes targeted southern and eastern Lebanon on Thursday, resulting in multiple civilian casualties.
The violence erupted less than 24 hours after an announcement that Israel and Lebanon had reached a US-mediated ceasefire agreement.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, at least eight people were killed and 15 others wounded in strikes on the towns of Sohmor, Masaken, and Arab Al-Jalil.
Concurrently, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported the death of a soldier following an anti-tank missile attack by Hezbollah, while also blaming the group for a fatal mortar strike on a UN peacekeeper.
The developments follow a US State Department announcement on Wednesday outlining a proposed ceasefire contingent upon a total cessation of hostilities by Hezbollah and the withdrawal of its fighters from the South Litani Sector.
The proposal envisions the Lebanese Armed Forces establishing control over designated “pilot zones” to ensure the exclusion of non-state actors.
However, Hezbollah, which was not a party to the negotiations, has rejected the terms.
The group maintains that any arrangement requiring its withdrawal while allowing Israeli troops to remain in southern Lebanon is unacceptable, characterizing the proposal as a move that rewards occupation rather than fostering a durable peace.
