Israel defies new Lebanon truce with deadly strikes, as US warns Netanyahu may sabotage Iran peace plan
A fresh ceasefire in Lebanon brokered by the United States and Iran took effect Friday but was immediately violated by Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah drone attacks, leaving 47 Lebanese and four Israeli soldiers dead. Washington's intelligence community has warned that Prime Minister Netanyahu is likely to take active steps to undermine the broader US-Iran agreement.
The ceasefire entered into force at 16:00 local time (15:00 in Spain, 09:00 in Washington) on Friday, yet no party officially confirmed it on the record. Within hours, Israeli warplanes struck targets across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, killing 47 people in one of the deadliest 24‑hour periods in weeks. Hezbollah retaliated with a drone strike that killed four Israeli soldiers, including an officer from the 52nd Battalion, and later accused Israel of trying to torpedo the US‑Iran understanding.
We will respect the ceasefire if Israel respects it, and we reserve the right to respond.
Political fallout
Israeli ultranationalist ministers fuelled the crisis. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for "opening the gates of hell" in Lebanon, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said "a thousand Lebanese mothers should cry for every tear of an Israeli mother." The remarks underscored the domestic pressure Netanyahu faces ahead of elections this autumn; US intelligence officials, cited by The Washington Post, assess that his political survival depends on showing he will not withdraw troops from southern Lebanon and may even intensify the campaign.
We have a small dispute over Lebanon. I've asked him not to bring down a building every time someone from Hezbollah enters it.
US officials increasingly fear Netanyahu will actively sabotage the memorandum of understanding Trump signed with Iran. One intelligence report circulated this week concluded that the prime minister is likely to adopt measures that could derail the president's push for a durable peace.
Diplomatic paralysis
The repercussions were swift. Iran suspended the first round of technical negotiations scheduled in Switzerland for the final agreement, and Vice President J.D. Vance postponed his trip to the talks. The Swiss summit, meant to launch a 60‑day window to lock in a permanent deal, now hangs in the balance. Washington has demanded that Israel halt its offensive in Lebanon to shield the diplomatic channel; Trump pressed Netanyahu to "act more softly."
We will stay as long as necessary.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel's military insists it will keep operating in southern Lebanon. IDF spokesman Effie Defrin declared that Hezbollah attacks "constitute violations of the ceasefire" and that the army "will continue to eliminate immediate threats" without waiting for the next strike.
What is at stake
The memorandum between Washington and Tehran aims to consolidate a regional ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and avert a global economic crisis triggered by the blockade of one of the world's main oil arteries. Its first clause mandates a truce "on all fronts including Lebanon" and guarantees the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Arab country, effectively requiring an Israeli withdrawal from areas occupied since Hezbollah's escalation began. Iran, for its part, obtains sanctions relief and reconstruction funds under the deal, while both signatories are eager to frame themselves as winners before their domestic audiences.
- Hezbollah drone strike kills four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.
- Israel launches airstrikes across southern Lebanon, killing 47 people.
- US-Iran brokered ceasefire officially enters into force.
- Both sides accuse each other of violating the truce; clashes continue.
- Iran suspends technical negotiations; VP Vance postpones Switzerland trip.
With the truce already fraying, the White House finds itself caught between an ally ignoring its cease‑fire calls and an adversary that has halted negotiations the moment the bombs resumed falling. The next 48 hours will determine whether the Switzerland meeting can be salvaged or whether the wider US‑Iran framework collapses before it ever gets off the ground.
