Israel strikes Lebanon as Hezbollah rejects US-brokered ceasefire deal

Israeli forces continued their strikes in southern Lebanon on Friday and issued evacuation warnings for nine towns and villages after Hezbollah rejected a US-mediated ceasefire agreement. Airstrikes on the historic city of Tyre killed seven people according to Lebanese civil defense sources. The attacks occurred despite a conditional ceasefire that had been announced by Lebanese and Israeli envoys earlier this week.

The failed ceasefire proposal would have required Hezbollah to stop firing first and withdraw from border areas, while Lebanese army units would be deployed to new "pilot zones" in the region. However, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem categorically rejected these conditions, describing the demanded disarmament of the resistance movement as an existential threat to the Lebanese people. Instead, he called for a comprehensive ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

The current fighting is part of a broader regional conflict that began on March 2, when Hezbollah attacked Israel to avenge the February 28 killing of Iran's supreme leader. Since then, the conflict has escalated into a four-month war with significant implications for the entire region. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has justified its attacks as retaliation for Israeli actions.

Iran has reaffirmed its unwavering support for Hezbollah and made a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militia a condition for any broader peace agreement with the United States. This position significantly complicates diplomatic efforts by linking the Lebanese issue to broader negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran also demands Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon as a prerequisite for further talks.

The humanitarian impact of the conflict is substantial. According to reports from various sources, the total death toll has already risen to over 3,500. Israeli evacuation warnings caused people to flee from nine southern Lebanese communities, as reported by Lebanon's state news agency. Areas along the coastal road between Tyre and Sidon are particularly affected, where the Israeli military warned of imminent attacks against Hezbollah positions.

A particularly problematic aspect of the failed negotiations is that Hezbollah was not directly involved in the talks. The agreement was negotiated between Lebanese and Israeli negotiators under US mediation, without the militia, which represents one of the main conflict parties, being at the negotiating table. This partially explains why Hezbollah rejected the conditions as unacceptable and spoke of a "virtual surrender."

The Trump administration's peace efforts have suffered a significant setback due to recent developments. The US had hoped that a ceasefire in Lebanon would pave the way for broader negotiations with Iran and possibly normalize shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. These hopes are now temporarily dampened.

The future of the conflict remains uncertain. While Israel continues its military operations and has signaled it will keep troops in the country, Hezbollah maintains its position that resistance will continue as long as the "occupation" persists. Naim Qassem emphasized that there can be no ceasefire that separates the south from the rest of Lebanon, and that Israel should not have the freedom to kill in Lebanon.

Qassem stated that the group's main concern is a "comprehensive cessation of hostilities, a ceasefire, and Israel's withdrawal" from Lebanese territory. He declared that "as long as the occupation persists, the resistance will continue," indicating that Hezbollah views the conflict in existential terms rather than as a tactical dispute that can be resolved through limited agreements.

The international community is watching developments with growing concern, as the conflict has the potential to expand further and threaten the stability of the entire region. The failed ceasefire efforts demonstrate the complexity of regional power dynamics and highlight the difficulty of finding sustainable solutions to the interconnected conflicts in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Israeli military operations show no signs of abating. The army issued warnings for residents of Sarafand, a town on the coastal road between Tyre and Sidon, to immediately evacuate ahead of expected attacks against Iran-backed Hezbollah. Reports indicate that Israeli shelling also targeted areas near Nabatieh and around Deir Kifa, while an airstrike near Jabal Amel Hospital wounded at least 12 civilians, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian toll of the conflict.