Despite the announcement of a peace agreement aimed at reducing hostilities across the Middle East, Israeli military operations continued in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, raising concerns about the stability of the ceasefire and the safety of civilians returning to their homes.
According to Lebanese state media, Israeli warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes targeting areas in southern Lebanon. The attacks reportedly hit the Nabatieh al-Fawqa region as well as the eastern outskirts of the nearby town of Kfar Tebnit. In a separate incident, a drone strike was reported in the town of Ansariyeh, located within the Zahrani district.
Although violence across Lebanon has significantly decreased since the announcement of a United States-Iran agreement designed to end the broader regional conflict, military activity has not completely stopped. Reports indicate that at least five people have lost their lives in southern Lebanon since the peace deal was announced.
The easing of violence has encouraged some displaced residents to return to their towns and villages to assess the damage caused by months of conflict. However, the Lebanese Armed Forces have advised civilians to postpone their return, warning that the risk of further attacks and security violations remains a serious concern.
The conflict intensified earlier this year when Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader in joint United States-Israeli military strikes. Israel responded with an extensive military campaign that included large-scale airstrikes and ground operations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that lasting peace cannot be achieved without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories occupied during the conflict. He stated that any future military action by Israel in Lebanon would be viewed as a violation of the existing understanding intended to end hostilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, reiterated that Israeli troops would remain in Lebanon for as long as deemed necessary to protect Israel’s security interests.
So far, Hezbollah has not announced any new attacks on Israeli targets following recent developments. The group’s leader, Naim Qassem, is expected to address the public in a televised speech. Earlier, he publicly expressed appreciation for Iran’s efforts to secure what he described as an immediate and lasting end to military operations across the region, including Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Health Ministry has updated the human cost of the conflict, reporting that the death toll from Israeli military operations since the outbreak of the war has reached 3,826. Recovery teams continue to search damaged areas and remove victims from the rubble left behind by months of fighting.
A region searching for stability
While diplomatic efforts have created hope for a broader peace across the Middle East, recent events in southern Lebanon highlight how fragile such agreements can be. For thousands of families displaced by the conflict, the path back to normal life remains uncertain. Continued military activity, political disagreements, and security concerns demonstrate that achieving lasting peace requires more than agreements on paper—it requires sustained commitment from all sides involved. As residents cautiously look toward rebuilding their communities, the international community will be watching closely to see whether the current peace framework can hold and prevent a return to widespread violence.
