Israel and Hezbollah continued their conflict into Saturday, despite a renewed ceasefire agreement. The fighting escalated on Friday morning after a period of relative calm following the announcement of a U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Iran expressed concerns and threatened to withdraw from negotiations, prompting U.S. and Qatari mediators to facilitate the ceasefire, which was subsequently violated on Saturday with both parties blaming each other for the renewed violence.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Hezbollah launched over 50 projectiles targeting IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, leading to retaliatory strikes on Hezbollah positions. The IDF stated, "In order to remove threats & in response to Hezbollah’s blatant violations, the IDF struck dozens of Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites & terrorists in southern Lebanon throughout the night."
Hezbollah, on the other hand, claimed it adhered to the ceasefire but responded to IDF troop movements near a strategic hilltop in Nabatieh. The group emphasized its readiness to confront any Israeli attempts to expand its territory. A senior Hezbollah official indicated that the group would not permit Israeli freedom of movement in southern Lebanon, justifying its continued military actions.
The Lebanese Army condemned the Israeli strikes, asserting that they obstruct efforts to restore stability in Lebanon. Reports indicated that an Israeli strike resulted in the death of a military figure in the Lebanese Army near Nabatieh. Iran has stated that negotiations under the MOU will not proceed until a full ceasefire in Lebanon is observed, leading to the cancellation of planned talks in Switzerland by Iranian negotiators.