Both Lebanon and Israel reported fresh attacks and casualties throughout Thursday, despite a ceasefire deal the countries struck overnight. While Beirut reported at least eight casualties, Tel Aviv confirmed the death of one soldier. TASR writes about it according to AFP.
In short:
- Israeli attacks killed at least eight people in Lebanon on Thursday
- Hezbollah refuses to withdraw militants from southern Lebanon and accept a ceasefire
- Israel continues to attack Hezbollah targets despite a formal cease-fire
An Israeli attack in eastern Lebanon left five dead, while an attack near the southern city of Sur killed at least three others, the Lebanese health ministry said.
Assaults and injuries
At the same time, eight people were injured in the strikes, including three children and two women.
The Israeli army announced late on Thursday that one of its soldiers, 21-year-old captain Eytan Shmuel Lemberg, had died in southern Lebanon. A military source told AFP he was killed by a rocket fired by the militant group Hezbollah at an Israeli tank.
Hezbollah rejects the ceasefire
The latest reports of fighting came shortly after militant leader Naim Qasim announced that Hezbollah was rejecting a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel reached overnight on Thursday.
After trilateral negotiations in Washington, both countries agreed to observe the fragile cease-fire from April. However, the ceasefire is conditional on the pro-Iranian Hezbollah stopping attacks on Israel and withdrawing all its militants from southern Lebanon.
Tensions and threats
Qassim refused and called on Israel to withdraw completely from the territory of Lebanon. He also emphasized that “unless the Lebanese villages are safe, they will continue to be bombed and the Lebanese people will be murdered – even the villages” in northern Israel will not be safe.
US President Donald Trump declared in the Oval Office on Thursday that Hezbollah had spoken with his administration and allegedly did not reject the ceasefire, DPA emphasizes. At the same time, Trump expressed hope that progress is being made in this conflict and declared that Lebanon deserves peace.
Continued violence
An official cease-fire has been in effect between Israel and Lebanon since April 16. In mid-May, the ceasefire was extended for another 45 days. Israel has nevertheless stepped up attacks in southern Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah targets. The militant movement continues to sporadically launch rockets into Israeli territory and attack Israeli targets in Lebanon.
