Israel said on Thursday that its ceasefire with Hezbollah was breached hours after Lebanese security sources said Israeli tanks attacked six areas of southern Lebanon, calling into question a truce reached after more than a year of fighting.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday under a deal brokered by the U.S. and France, intended to allow people in both countries to start returning to homes in border areas shattered by 14 months of fighting.
The Israeli military said the ceasefire was violated after what it called suspects, some in vehicles, arrived at several areas in the southern zone.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah accused Israel of attacking people returning to their villages in south Lebanon. The Israeli military has urged residents of towns along the border strip not to return yet for their own safety.
Israeli tank fire hit six areas within that border strip on Thursday morning, striking Markaba, Wazzani and Kfarchouba, Khiyam, Taybe and the agricultural plains around Marjayoun, state media and Lebanese security sources said.
All of the areas lie within two kilometres of the Blue Line demarcating the border between Lebanon and Israel. One of the security sources said two people were wounded in Markaba.
Lebanese families displaced from their homes near the southern border have tried to return to check on their properties. But Israeli troops remain stationed within Lebanese territory in towns along the border and Reuters reporters heard surveillance drones flying over parts of southern Lebanon.
There was no immediate comment on the tank rounds from Iran-backed Hezbollah or Israel, who had been fighting for over a year in parallel with the Gaza war.
The agreement, a rare diplomatic feat in a region racked by conflict, ended the deadliest confrontation between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in years. But Israel is still fighting its other arch foe, the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in the Gaza Strip.
Under the ceasefire terms, Israeli forces can take up to 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon but neither side can launch offensive operations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military not to allow residents back to villages near the border.
Lebanon's speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, the top interlocutor for Lebanon in negotiating the deal, had said on Wednesday that residents could return home.
Hezbollah has said its fighters "remain fully equipped to deal with the aspirations and assaults of the Israeli enemy." Its forces will monitor Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon "with their hands on the trigger".
The group has been weakened by casualties and the killing of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders by Israel.
France has closed four major Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for displaying offensive weapons, intensifying diplomatic tensions with Israel amid criticism of its actions in Gaza.
As Israel continues its airstrikes on Iran, the nuclear facilities that sparked the conflict remain standing—most notably, the Fordow nuclear enrichment plant.
Iran launched a fresh wave of missile attacks on Israel early Monday, injuring at least 25 people and triggering nationwide alerts and defence responses according to Channel 12, citing emergency officials.
A major Israeli airstrike in central Tehran has killed the head of Iran’s IRGC intelligence directorate and his deputy, dealing a serious blow to the country's internal security network.
On Day 3 of the escalating conflict, a new wave of ballistic missiles was launched from Iran towards Israel, striking fear across the region as explosions were reported in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Another group of the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Russia has been evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan. During the night, a new group of orchestra members crossed into Azerbaijan through the Astara border checkpoint as part of the ongoing evacuation process.
France has closed four major Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for displaying offensive weapons, intensifying diplomatic tensions with Israel amid criticism of its actions in Gaza.
A community event turned deadly in West Valley City, Utah as gunfire erupted during a local carnival, killing three, including an eight-month-old baby and injuring two teens, after a dispute between two groups escalated.
Kazakhstan has emerged as Azerbaijan’s top grain supplier, as trade between the two countries surged 20% in early 2025, reaching historic highs.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Pakistan will begin its first freight train service to Russia from Lahore on June 22. The route is part of the INSTC and aims to connect Pakistan's rail network with Central Asia, establishing a new trade corridor via Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
The Israeli military has issued an evacuation advisory for Iranian civilians living near weapons production sites and associated infrastructure within Iran. The message was shared on the social media platform X in both Arabic and Farsi by an official military spokesperson.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
An Air India flight with 242 passengers on board crashed in Meghaninagar, close to Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat, on Thursday afternoon.
Türkiye’s current account balance registered a deficit of $7.8 billion in April, according to data released Monday by the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT), marking a wider-than-expected shortfall amid a sharp goods trade imbalance.
France has closed four major Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for displaying offensive weapons, intensifying diplomatic tensions with Israel amid criticism of its actions in Gaza.
A community event turned deadly in West Valley City, Utah as gunfire erupted during a local carnival, killing three, including an eight-month-old baby and injuring two teens, after a dispute between two groups escalated.
Kazakhstan has emerged as Azerbaijan’s top grain supplier, as trade between the two countries surged 20% in early 2025, reaching historic highs.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Another group of the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Russia has been evacuated from Iran to Azerbaijan. During the night, a new group of orchestra members crossed into Azerbaijan through the Astara border checkpoint as part of the ongoing evacuation process.
France has closed four major Israeli company stands at the Paris Airshow for displaying offensive weapons, intensifying diplomatic tensions with Israel amid criticism of its actions in Gaza.
A community event turned deadly in West Valley City, Utah as gunfire erupted during a local carnival, killing three, including an eight-month-old baby and injuring two teens, after a dispute between two groups escalated.
Kazakhstan has emerged as Azerbaijan’s top grain supplier, as trade between the two countries surged 20% in early 2025, reaching historic highs.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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