Israeli strikes in south Lebanon undermine ceasefire framework as talks stall
Explosions in al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun occur amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations, while US President Donald Trump confirms Israeli redeployment without setting a withdrawal timeline.
The Israeli army has conducted fresh attacks in the southern Lebanese towns of al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun, with explosions reported as far away as Tyre, more than 15 kilometres from the epicentre. These strikes occurred on Friday despite the existence of a United States-brokered ceasefire framework and ongoing diplomatic discussions between Israeli and Lebanese officials aimed at implementing a peace agreement.
The latest violence follows a strike on Thursday against an ambulance in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, which injured two medics. The Lebanese Health Ministry condemned the incident as a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian laws and norms. Israeli officials have stated that operations are necessary to prevent Hezbollah from launching assaults into northern Israel, while rights advocates allege that the systematic levelling of villages mirrors tactics used in Gaza, with the objective of making the territory uninhabitable.
US President Donald Trump addressed the situation during a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun earlier this week. When asked about the status of the Israeli presence, Trump stated that Israel is in the process of redeploying to other sections, although he declined to provide a specific timeline for a full withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
The framework agreement, signed in Washington on June 26, outlines a process where the Lebanese army would gradually assume security responsibility in two designated pilot zones, provided that Hezbollah is disarmed. However, the deal sets no specific timeline for a complete Israeli withdrawal. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has rejected the agreement outright, describing it as null and void and calling for armed resistance.
Residents in the first pilot-zone villages of Froun and Ghandouriyeh, where the Lebanese army has deployed, report that their areas were never occupied by Israeli forces and that no territory has been returned. The next round of implementation talks is scheduled to take place in Italy on August 4, as Israel continues to occupy approximately one-fifth of Lebanese territory since fighting erupted on March 2.
