The Israel Defense Forces said it had struck southern Lebanon in response to overnight shelling by Hezbollah, despite a previously announced ceasefire. The Times of Israel reported.
According to an Israeli military spokesman, Hezbollah fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli positions in southern Lebanon overnight. The IDF responded by attacking targets in the region.
The Lebanese Civil Defense Agency reported that 16 people were killed and 12 others were wounded in the strikes in the Nabatiya area. Earlier, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported 18 deaths and 33 injuries after massive airstrikes on 11 cities.
According to Reuters, Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire starting June 19 at 4:00 p.m. local time. Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said that Jerusalem had stopped offensive operations and was ready to observe a period of silence.
At the same time, Israel insists that the new strikes were a response to repeated violations of the agreements by Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces also confirmed the death of four of its soldiers during the previous escalation.
The escalation occurred against the backdrop of diplomatic efforts by the United States and Iran to reduce tensions in the Middle East. According to Bild, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon is one of the conditions of the relevant agreements, but new hostilities could complicate further negotiations.
