Hezbollah says it reserves right to defend Lebanon after Israeli strikes

Group says Israel is violating the ceasefire as political divisions deepen over the new US-brokered framework agreement

Hezbollah on Monday said it reserved the right to defend Lebanon after accusing Israel of violating a recently announced ceasefire framework through continued military strikes in southern Lebanon.

In a statement, the Iran-backed group said Israel’s latest attacks constituted a “blatant violation” of the truce and warned that it was closely monitoring developments while reserving its right to defend the country and its people.

The statement came days after Lebanon, Israel and the United States announced a framework agreement intended to end months of hostilities and pave the way for Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament.

However, the agreement has faced immediate resistance within Lebanon. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, rejected the deal, calling it an agreement of “dictates” that failed to protect Lebanon’s national rights. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has also dismissed the framework as “null and void,” describing it as a surrender of Lebanese sovereignty.

Meanwhile, fighting has continued despite the diplomatic initiative. Israeli forces launched fresh strikes in southern Lebanon over the weekend, saying they targeted Hezbollah fighters operating near what Israel describes as its security zone. The Israeli military also announced that Captain David Hazutt, 21, was killed during combat after troops encountered a Hezbollah militant inside a building in Deir Seryan. Another Israeli soldier was injured, while the military said the militant was later killed.

Israel separately claimed to have destroyed a 200-metre-long Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon containing weapons and launch shafts intended for attacks on Israeli territory.

The continued military exchanges have raised doubts over whether the ceasefire framework can hold, with both sides accusing each other of violations. Diplomats fear that unless hostilities subside quickly, the latest peace initiative could unravel before substantive negotiations begin.