Israeli strikes kill at least 20 in Lebanon hours after ceasefire
Escalating Violence and Ceasefire Developments in Lebanon
By Laila Bassam, Jana Choukeir and Emily Rose
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, June 20 (Reuters) - Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed at least 20 people on Saturday, Lebanon's state news agency NNA said, one day after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect, aimed at halting months of escalating violence.
Israel said the strikes were a response to projectiles fired overnight by the Iran-backed group. An Israeli military official said Hezbollah launched more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, prompting attacks on what the official described as "Hezbollah targets".
Lebanon's National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes and drones had struck multiple locations in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Hezbollah accused Israel of committing hundreds of ceasefire violations, and warned that continued attacks "will not pass without a response". It urged Washington to pressure Israel to halt its attacks.
Israeli Military Response and Ceasefire Status
Israeli Military Operating Defensively
An Israeli military official said the military had received updated directives from the political leadership to cease fire and was not conducting proactive strikes, but operating defensively within what Israel calls a security zone.
The official said five Israeli soldiers had been killed by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon over the past 48 hours.
The Israeli military, which occupies parts of southern Lebanon, said Hezbollah's attacks constituted repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.
It said it remained committed to the truce in line with political directives, and would respond decisively to any attacks on Israeli civilians or troops.
Renewed Violence
Hezbollah said it also remained committed to the ceasefire but would respond to any attempt by Israel to "seize territory or expand its occupation".
The group said Israeli forces had attempted overnight to infiltrate the Ali al-Taher hill area in southern Lebanon. Its fighters engaged the troops, it said, after which Israel carried out air strikes both inside and outside its declared operational zone.
A senior Hezbollah official said the group would not allow Israel "freedom of movement" in occupied Lebanese territory, adding that armed resistance remained legitimate as long as Israeli forces stayed in Lebanon.
The renewed violence casts doubt on the durability of both the ceasefire and a broader U.S.-Iran understanding announced this week that hinges in part on ending hostilities in Lebanon.
Impact of Israeli Strikes
Deadly Strikes
One of the deadliest Israeli strikes hit a three-storey residential building in the southern town of Barish in the Tyre district, killing a father, mother and their two children, a local official said.
The Lebanese army said another Israeli strike killed a soldier on the Kfarrumman-Nabatieh road.
NNA reported that an Israeli airstrike destroyed the Nabatieh branch of Lebanon's central bank. Lebanon's central bank said the strike directly targeted the building, causing material damage but no casualties.
Israel's Arabic-language military spokesperson said calm could be achieved if Hezbollah ceased what she described as hostile activity and violations of existing agreements.
She said Israel's presence in a security zone was intended to remove threats and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure rather than harm civilians.
Civilian Reactions
"All night we heard explosions. We got kind of excited by those statements about a ceasefire, but everything is continuing as usual," said Ofri Valfer, a resident of northern Israel.
"You can hear very loud blasts here, and life goes on alongside that. Hopefully better days will come."
Casualties and Broader Implications
Lebanon Says More Than 4,000 Killed Since March 2
Lebanon's health ministry says 4,057 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including medics, women and children, though it does not specify how many of the dead were combatants.
Israeli authorities say at least 32 soldiers and four civilians have been killed in fighting with Hezbollah.
International Response and U.S.-Iran Understanding
The U.S.-Iran understanding announced this week calls for an immediate and permanent halt to military operations by the parties and their allies across several fronts, including Lebanon.
Israel, which was not part of those negotiations, has opposed provisions it says could constrain its campaign in Lebanon.
(Reporting by Jana Choukeir, Laila Bassam, Maayan Lubell, Eman Abouhassira and Enas Alashray; Editing by Mark Potter, Kevin Liffey, Jan Harvey and David Gregorio)