Israeli Strikes and Shelling Continue in Southern Lebanon Despite Trump’s Ceasefire Claim

Israeli forces continued their military campaign across southern Lebanon on Tuesday, launching artillery shelling near Nabatieh and conducting airstrikes on the villages of Shukin, Kafr Tibnit, and Tibnin. Israeli drones also carried out three targeted strikes on the town of Tallet Tol.

These operations persist despite intense diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire. Clashes have not halted, even though Israel and Hezbollah recently accepted a US-backed plan for a partial truce.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that he had spoken with both sides and "they agreed that all shooting will stop." According to Lebanese officials, Hezbollah accepted the framework to halt attacks on Israel in exchange for an end to Israeli strikes on Beirut.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the agreement, he warned that strikes on Beirut would resume if Hezbollah continued targeting Israeli cities. Netanyahu also maintained that Israeli forces would continue operating in southern Lebanon.

Overnight Violence and Regional Warning Shots

The ceasefire remains highly fragile. Overnight, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli tanks in Haddatha and Bayada with missiles and shells. In the early hours of Tuesday, the Israeli military intercepted two projectiles fired from Lebanon, though no injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported a "very violent" explosion in the town of Debbine caused by large-scale Israeli military demolitions.

The latest friction followed Netanyahu's order to strike "terror targets" in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday morning. This action drew sharp condemnation from Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the existing US-Iran truce was a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon, and that "its violation on one front is a violation on all fronts."

Iran's Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that Tehran might suspend indirect negotiations with the US. It added that Iran and its regional allies could activate alternative fronts, including the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea.

However, President Trump insisted that negotiations are moving at a "rapid pace," confirming productive calls with Netanyahu and representatives of Hezbollah to enforce the halt in hostilities.