Israeli strikes kill 5 in Lebanon despite ceasefire extension

At least five people were killed, and more than a dozen were injured as Israeli airstrikes hit multiple locations in southern and eastern Lebanon, despite a newly agreed 45-day extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

The strikes targeted the towns of Tayr Felsay, Tayr Debba, Az-Zrariyah, Jebchit and Jouaiya, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state media. The Israeli military also issued evacuation orders for several villages in the south.

The attacks came days after US-mediated talks in Washington, where Lebanese and Israeli officials agreed to prolong a truce first announced on April 17. The extension is intended to create space for further negotiations, with another round of talks scheduled for June 2 and 3.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said military operations would continue against Hezbollah, while the group rejected direct negotiations with Israel and opposed any attempt to disarm its forces.

Since fighting resumed in March, nearly 3,000 people have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced, and the country has suffered an estimated $25 billion in economic losses.