Despite a US-brokered partial ceasefire agreement, clashes continue in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides reporting exchanges of fire overnight. The agreement, announced by President Donald Trump on Monday, aimed to halt attacks on Israel and prevent Israeli strikes on the Lebanese capital Beirut. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that strikes on Beirut would resume if Hezbollah fails to stop attacking Israeli cities and civilians.
The ceasefire plan was accepted by both Israel and Hezbollah, with Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reporting that Hezbollah had agreed to halt attacks on Israel. However, the agency also reported Israeli strikes on several southern areas, including a “very violent” explosion in the town of Debbine. The Israeli military said it had intercepted two projectiles fired from Lebanon, while Hezbollah claimed its fighters had targeted Israeli tanks with missiles and shells.
Lebanon Ceasefire
The US plan for a partial ceasefire in Lebanon comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and the US, with a truce between the two countries failing to end the fighting. The conflict in Lebanon has killed at least 3,433 people, according to the country’s health ministry, with Israel reporting 25 soldiers and four civilians killed. The US has tried to separate events in Lebanon from negotiations with Iran, which has long backed Hezbollah.
President Trump said he had spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and representatives from Hezbollah, and that all parties had agreed to stop shooting. However, the Israeli military has continued to operate in south Lebanon, and Netanyahu warned that strikes on Beirut would go ahead if Hezbollah fails to stop attacking Israeli cities and civilians.
The conflict in Lebanon began on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel responded with an air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south, which has been escalating in recent weeks.
Regional Implications
The failure of the US-brokered ceasefire to stop clashes in Lebanon has significant implications for the region, with tensions between Iran and the US escalating over the weekend. The US has said it hit Iranian military sites, while Tehran responded by targeting a US base in Kuwait. The conflict in Lebanon is also likely to impact negotiations between the US and Iran, with Iran insisting that any agreement must include peace in Lebanon.
The US has been trying to reach a broader deal to end the war with Iran, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposing a plan for “gradual de-escalation” in Lebanon. However, the failure of the ceasefire to hold raises concerns about the ability of the US to broker a lasting peace in the region.
