Israel Admits to Attacks in Southern Lebanon During Ceasefire

Israel has acknowledged conducting military strikes in southern Lebanon during a ceasefire period, asserting that its forces acted in response to perceived threats from Hezbollah militants near the so-called “yellow line,” a zone under Israeli military control along the border.

The Israeli military stated in a Saturday announcement that it had carried out attacks “on several occasions” since the ceasefire began on April 16, 2025, claiming that Hezbollah fighters had approached Israeli-deployed troops from the north of the yellow line, posing an “immediate threat.” The military said its actions were taken in “legitimate self-defense” and to “neutralize immediate threats,” and that these operations were not restricted by the ceasefire agreement.

According to the military statement, Israeli forces not only opened fire on militants but also bombed infrastructure in the area, though the statement did not specify the exact dates of the attacks. The acknowledgment comes amid conflicting claims about the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, which was welcomed by European leaders earlier in the week but has faced scrutiny over Israel’s continued military presence in Lebanese territory.

Just days before, U.S. President Donald Trump had asserted that the United States had prohibited Israel from bombing Lebanon as part of the ceasefire deal. However, the agreement, mediated by Washington, includes language allowing Israel to take “all necessary measures in legitimate self-defense,” and does not require the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese soil. Israel has since maintained its troop presence in southern Lebanon, having advanced several kilometers into the area following a renewed large-scale offensive launched in March 2025.

The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of a broad area in southern Lebanon representing approximately 10% of the country’s territory. Around 600,000 residents were reported to have fled their homes during the offensive, with some returning after the ceasefire took effect despite Israeli warnings against doing so. Many returnees have found their homes destroyed, either by Israeli bombardments or by controlled demolitions and excavation work carried out by Israeli troops to establish a buffer zone near the border.

On the first day of the ceasefire, an Israeli drone strike killed one person in southern Lebanon, according to local reports. French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday that a French soldier serving with the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had been killed and three others wounded in an attack in the south of the country, which France attributed to Hezbollah.

The developments underscore the fragility of the ceasefire and the ongoing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, where competing interpretations of the agreement’s terms continue to fuel mutual accusations and sporadic violence despite diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict.