A view of Beaufort Fortress, southeast Lebanon, Friday, June 5, 2026.
Hussein Malla/AP
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Hussein Malla/AP
BEIRUT — Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday killed 9 folks together with three members of the Lebanese army, the Lebanese military and state media stated, days after the 2 sides reached a brand new ceasefire deal.
An airstrike on a car on a highway linking town of Nabatiyeh with the city of Marjayoun killed a brigadier normal, a captain and one other soldier, the military stated, with out instantly releasing their names. One other airstrike on the southern village of Saksakiyah killed six folks and wounded 4, state-run Nationwide Information Company stated.
“The continued, deliberate, and repeated Israeli aggression against Lebanon, its people and its army only strengthens our resolve, faith and determination,” the military stated in its assertion.
It stated Israel’s assaults purpose to thwart all efforts “to reach a solution that would restore stability, establish a comprehensive ceasefire and lead to the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories.”
The Israeli army confirmed hitting a car and stated the incident is being reviewed. The assertion added that the car was “moving suspiciously” towards Israeli troopers close to the village of Kfar Tibnit, after the army obtained “concrete indications” that Hezbollah would direct hearth towards Israeli troopers from the identical space.
The army stated that it operates towards Hezbollah and never towards the Lebanese military.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun referred to as the strike “a flagrant violation to Lebanese sovereignty and international law.” He stated it got here within the context of “ongoing escalation that threatens stability and security in the south (of Lebanon), despite the efforts Lebanon is exerting in the Washington negotiations to put an end to the ongoing Israeli attacks without deterrent.”
The most recent ceasefire introduced in Washington took place by means of U.S.-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon’s authorities, which accuses Hezbollah of dragging the nation into battle and had made efforts to disarm it earlier than the most recent hostilities. Hezbollah has refused the truce.
On Friday, Aoun and Lebanon’s prime minister criticized Iran for opposing the most recent ceasefire deal between the Lebanese authorities and Israel, saying their nation shouldn’t be utilized by Tehran as a “bargaining chip” in its talks with Washington.
Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi responded in a put up on X on Saturday by saying that after Aoun’s feedback, “one would think it’s Iran that has occupied a fifth of Lebanon, displaced a quarter of Lebanese and is bombing his country on daily basis.”
“Had Lebanon been a bargaining chip for Iran, we’d have a deal long ago. Save Lebanon from your real foe, Mr. President,” Araghchi stated in reference to Israel.
The battle started on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel, two days after Israel and the U.S. started their assaults on Iran. Israel has since launched a floor invasion of Lebanon and carried out broad assaults which have displaced greater than 1 million folks.
Israeli troops have seized round a fifth of Lebanon, pushing additional into the nation’s south than at any time for the reason that finish of Israel’s 1982-2000 occupation. Greater than 3,500 folks have been killed in Lebanon for the reason that battle started. The preventing has killed not less than 29 Israeli troopers and three civilians.
