Israeli Airstrikes Reported in Southern Lebanon Despite Ceasefire Agreement

Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on several locations in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, according to Lebanese state media, marking continued hostilities despite a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the broader West Asia conflict.

The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli warplanes targeted the Nabatieh al-Fawqa area and the eastern outskirts of the nearby town of Kfar Tebnit. A drone strike also hit the town of Ansariyeh in the Zahrani region, the agency added.

These attacks occurred even after Monday's announcement of a deal brokered by the United States and Iran to halt the multi-front West Asia war. While violence has declined since then, NNA reports that Israeli strikes have killed at least five people in the south after the agreement was reached.

The relative calm has prompted some residents to return to their homes, but the Lebanese Army has urged them to delay doing so, citing the risk of further Israeli attacks and violations.

The conflict escalated in early March when the Iran-backed group Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel, saying it was avenging the killing of Iran's supreme leader in earlier U.S.-Israeli strikes. Israel responded with extensive airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

Diplomatic friction persists. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that a complete end to the conflict requires "the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories it occupied in this war." He cautioned that any further Israeli military action or continued presence would be considered a breach of the ceasefire memorandum.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, stated on Monday that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon "for as long as necessary." Hezbollah has not claimed any new attacks on Israeli positions since Tuesday, but its leader, Naim Qassem, is expected to deliver a televised address on Wednesday. Qassem had expressed gratitude to Iran for its efforts to bring about a cessation of hostilities.

Lebanon's Health Ministry updated the cumulative death toll from the conflict to 3,826 as of Tuesday, with rescue teams still recovering bodies from the rubble.

The ceasefire, while fragile, has offered some respite. Nonetheless, the sharply contrasting positions of Iranian and Israeli leaders highlight the challenges in consolidating a durable peace, as the international community watches closely.