Israel resumes Lebanon strikes amid ongoing peace talks

Israel's military resumed airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, citing a "blatant violation of the ceasefire" by the militant group Hezbollah. The renewed hostilities occurred despite ongoing diplomatic efforts in Rome aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two nations.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated they were "compelled to act" against Hezbollah after the group allegedly breached the ceasefire. Shortly after the announcement, the military issued an evacuation warning to residents of Mansouri, a town in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media reported that the strikes resulted in one death and 11 injuries.

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In response to a blatant violation of the ceasefire by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation, the IDF has begun conducting precise strikes in southern Lebanon

In Rome, the U.S.-led diplomatic talks, intended to end the current hostilities, faced disruption. A source involved in the negotiations told AFP that the Israeli delegation requested the day's talks conclude three hours early, attributing the disruption to alleged "misleading leaks" from the Lebanese side. The negotiations were still expected to continue for a third and final day on Thursday.

This escalation follows a period of relative calm after a framework deal was agreed upon in June. That deal involved Hezbollah's disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese army. However, the current round of talks, the seventh since Hezbollah initiated rocket fire in March, highlights the fragility of the ceasefire. The UN's humanitarian agency had recently noted that many displaced Lebanese were beginning to return home, underscoring the impact of the renewed violence on civilian life and displacement.

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For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move north