Israel strikes southern Lebanon again, 5 dead

Israel launched airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, hours after a reported ceasefire agreement with the armed group Hezbollah, killing at least five people. The strikes, which occurred early Saturday, targeted over a dozen locations in the Nabatieh region, according to Lebanon's state news agency NNA. Three people died in Arabsalim, one in Deir Zahran, and another in a drone attack on a motorcycle in Dweir.

These attacks follow Israel's continued military operations in Lebanon even after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on ending the war between the U.S. and Iran on June 17. Article 1 of the MOU explicitly states 'the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.' Iran has protested these actions as a violation of the agreement, leading to delays in further U.S.-Iran negotiations.

Despite the reported ceasefire, which took effect Friday afternoon local time and was mediated by the U.S. and Qatar, Israel's renewed airstrikes are seen as a significant obstacle to post-war negotiations. The U.S. has been preparing for working-level talks with Iran in Switzerland to discuss issues such as Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that plans were being made for these negotiations within the coming days. However, Israel's actions in Lebanon cast a shadow over these diplomatic efforts, potentially jeopardizing the fragile de-escalation process.