Israel Strikes Hezbollah Infrastructure in Southern Lebanon as U.S.-Mediated Ceasefire Is Extended

The Israeli military said Saturday it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon, a fresh round of attacks that came even as U.S.-mediated diplomacy produced a 45-day extension of the fragile April ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. In its English-language live updates, the military said: “The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites in several areas in southern Lebanon.”

An AFP correspondent reported seeing strikes in the Tyre area shortly after the Israeli military’s announcement, providing on-the-ground confirmation of the operation. Around the same time, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings to residents of several southern Lebanese villages, telling people to leave areas near Hezbollah positions and move at least 1,000 meters toward open areas. Lebanese media said the warnings covered villages including Qaaqaaiyet El Snoubar, Merouaniyeh and Ansar. “Anyone located near Hezbollah operatives, infrastructure, or weapons is putting their life at risk,” Adraee said, according to Lebanese media.

The strikes came during or just after direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington on May 14 and 15. After those meetings, the U.S. State Department said the two sides agreed to extend the April 16 ceasefire by 45 days. The truce had been negotiated to calm hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border, where fighting has run alongside the broader regional conflict.

The April ceasefire reduced, but did not end, exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group and political movement. Southern Lebanon has remained the main zone of confrontation, and the latest Israeli action followed several days of reported strikes and evacuation warnings there.

The renewed violence has unfolded amid broader security concerns in the area. UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, warned this week that drone incidents and explosions near its positions in southern Lebanon were endangering peacekeepers. In a statement, UNIFIL said “three presumed Hezbollah drones detonated in an area where Israeli security forces soldiers may have been present, within metres of UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura” on May 11, underscoring the risks around the border even as ceasefire diplomacy continues.