Israeli strikes hit Lebanon despite ceasefire, 5 killed

Israeli forces carried out fresh air and drone strikes in southern Lebanon just hours after a ceasefire with Hezbollah reportedly came into effect, killing at least five people, according to Lebanese state media.

The National News Agency (NNA) reported that multiple waves of strikes targeted the Nabatieh region between Friday night (June 19) and Saturday morning (June 20), causing extensive damage to residential buildings and homes.

The report added that Israeli warplanes and drones also carried out shelling in and around Nabatieh city before dawn, triggering panic among local residents.

The escalation came shortly after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah was confirmed by a US official. The deal was also acknowledged separately by a senior Israeli official and two Hezbollah sources.

According to the US official, the truce was scheduled to take effect at 4:00pm (local time) on Friday (1300 GMT). However, renewed strikes shortly after implementation have raised fresh concerns over the stability of the agreement and the risk of further escalation.