Iran threatens 'harsh response' as Israeli strikes kill four in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire deal

The strikes

Israeli drone attacks killed at least four people and wounded several more in the Nabatieh region of southern Lebanon on Tuesday, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA). The strikes targeted two vehicles in the town of Majfadun (Mayfadoun) and another in nearby Shukin (Choukine). The attacks came despite a US-Iran framework agreement announced overnight Sunday into Monday that includes an immediate ceasefire across the entire region, including Lebanon.

Iran's warning

The Iranian army's central command issued a televised statement on Tuesday accusing Israel of violating the Lebanon ceasefire 84 times since the agreement was announced. "If the Israeli army does not cease its aggression in southern Lebanon, it must expect a harsh reaction from the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the statement read. The threat marks a direct escalation in rhetoric from Tehran, which has already been engaged in a broader conflict with Israel.

If the Israeli army does not cease its aggression in southern Lebanon, it must expect a harsh reaction from the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The ceasefire framework

The United States and Iran announced a framework agreement overnight Sunday into Monday to end the Iran war, with formal signing expected on Friday in Switzerland. The deal calls for an immediate ceasefire across the entire region, including Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah had drawn the country into the conflict by launching attacks on Israel. Israel responded with airstrikes on numerous Lebanese targets and sent ground troops across the border.

Hezbollah's role

The Israeli military said its air force intercepted several rockets fired by Hezbollah toward an area where Israeli soldiers were operating in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. Shortly afterward, Israeli aircraft struck and destroyed the launcher from which some of the rockets had been fired, according to an Israeli military statement. The exchange underscores the fragility of the ceasefire, with both sides continuing military actions despite the diplomatic breakthrough.

Casualty toll

Violence in Lebanon has decreased since the US-Iran agreement was announced, but Israeli bombardments in the south have still killed at least five people since Monday, according to reports. The NNA described Tuesday's toll as provisional, with four confirmed dead and several wounded. The strikes on civilian vehicles in Majfadun and Shukin represent the latest in a pattern of Israeli operations that Tehran says amount to repeated ceasefire violations.