Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Extended; Deadly Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza

Israel launched a series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Saturday, striking at least five villages and prompting a new exodus of residents despite a 45-day extension of a fragile, US-brokered truce agreed to a day earlier. The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings covering nine villages before the attacks, which have expanded in scope to reach areas farther from the border, compounding the humanitarian crisis and fuelling deep scepticism about the ceasefire among thousands of displaced Lebanese.

On Friday, an Israeli strike hit an Islamic Health Committee centre in the southern town of Harouf, killing six people, including three paramedics, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Another attack in the southern city of Tyre caused significant destruction. These incidents followed separate Israeli airstrikes on a house and a car in Gaza that killed at least seven Palestinians, including women and a child, coinciding with worldwide protests marking ‘Youm-e-Nakba’ (The Day of Catastrophe).

The violence came just one day after Israeli and Lebanese envoys, in the first direct talks between the nations in decades, agreed in Washington to extend the ceasefire that began on April 17. While Lebanon’s negotiating delegation welcomed the extension as providing “critical breathing space,” displaced residents called the truce hollow. “This is not a truce as long as Israeli attacks continue against the south and its people,” said Ali Salameh, who has been displaced since the war began on March 2.

Hezbollah, which opposes the negotiations, claimed a retaliatory attack against Israeli troops in Khiam on Saturday, citing Israeli ceasefire violations. The human cost continues to mount, with Lebanese authorities reporting more than 2,900 people killed in Lebanon since the war started, over 400 of whom have died since the truce took effect. Israel has reported the deaths of 19 soldiers in southern Lebanon.

Regional tensions are also heightened following a recent explosion at a sensitive installation near an Israeli defense company in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem. Hebrew media reported the facility is a critical site for producing rocket engines for missile systems. While some Israeli officials claimed the incident was a controlled detonation, the lack of prior warning to nearby communities has raised questions about the official account. The Israeli military has reportedly restricted access to the area.

An explosion has occurred at a sensitive installation near an Israeli defense company in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, with reports indicating that clouds of fire were visible for miles following the blast.

Hebrew media outlets suggest the facility is a critical site for producing military hardware, including heavy and light rocket engines for various missile systems such as the Arrow 2, Arrow 3, and Barak 8.

The cause of the explosion remains officially unconfirmed, and there have been no immediate reports regarding casualties. The Israeli military has reportedly restricted access for emergency vehicles to the area. Some Israeli officials have claimed the incident was a controlled detonation of explosive materials; however, the lack of any prior warning to nearby communities has raised questions about this official account.

This incident comes at a time of heightened regional conflict. It follows recent deadly Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon that killed three paramedics and separate attacks in Gaza that resulted in at least seven Palestinian fatalities, including women and a child. The violence persists despite a recently agreed upon 45-day ceasefire extension between Israel and Lebanon, which was mediated by the United States.

A 45-day extension to the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been agreed upon following US-mediated negotiations. However, violence continues in the region, as an Israeli strike on a civil defense center in southern Lebanon reportedly killed three paramedics. Separately, Israeli airstrikes on a house and a car in Gaza killed at least seven Palestinians, including women and a child. The attacks in Gaza coincided with worldwide protests marking ‘Youm-e-Nakba’ (The Day of Catastrophe).