Attacks raise concerns over US-Iran nuclear talks

Smoke rises over southern Lebanon following an Israeli airstrike. [Yonhap]
Smoke rises over southern Lebanon following an Israeli airstrike. [Yonhap]

Israel struck southern Lebanon on Saturday, one day after reaching a truce agreement with Hezbollah, killing five people.

Israeli forces launched airstrikes early Saturday on more than 10 locations in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon, using fighter jets and drones, according to AFP, Reuters and other international news agencies. Three people were killed in Arab Salim, one in Deir Zahrani and one in Dwair.

The Lebanese army condemned the strikes, saying Israel "continues its barbaric airstrikes to block every solution aimed at rebuilding Lebanon's stability."

The Israeli military blamed Hezbollah for the renewed violence. An Israeli military official told Reuters that Hezbollah had fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight after the truce took effect, and that Israel struck Hezbollah targets in the south in response.

Israel and Hezbollah reached the truce on Friday under US pressure, with Qatar and other parties serving as mediators. The ceasefire took effect at 4 p.m. local time Friday. Israel's decision to resume strikes after the truce came into force could complicate follow-on negotiations toward a permanent end to the conflict.

The continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon prompted the postponement of formal US-Iran nuclear negotiations that had been scheduled in Switzerland on Friday. Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, has resumed preparatory work and traveled to Switzerland ahead of a rescheduled round of talks, according to Axios.


siuu@heraldcorp.com