Israel strikes Lebanon after Trump announces ceasefire extension

Israel on Friday carried out air strikes in Lebanon amid their ceasefire and after President Trump announced that the ceasefire was extended by three weeks.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire in a post on the social platform X. The IDF said it “struck Hezbollah military structures in the areas of Kherbet Selem and Touline in southern Lebanon.” They added that it was a response to Hezbollah rockets fired on Thursday.

Lebanese member of parliament Ali Fayyad told Hezbollah’s TV station Al Manar that any Israeli operations in Lebanon gives the Iran-backed militant group “the right to respond appropriately,” according to the statement translated by Google.

Fayyad said Hezbollah “firmly rejects” the ceasefire extension because the militant group has not been involved in any of the negotiations. He added that the deal does not include allowing Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory, which Fayyad said upholds Lebanon’s “firm and final right to resist the occupation.”

Mahmoud Qamati, vice president of Hezbollah’s Political Council, told The Washington Post before Trump announced the ceasefire extension that Hezbollah rejected directly negotiating with Israel. He added that Hezbollah also rejected Israel’s “yellow line” buffer zone in southern Lebanon.

IDF strikes and other operations have continued after the U.S. brokered a 10-day ceasefire deal last week, which was expected to expire on Sunday before the extension went into effect. One of these attacks in southern Lebanon on Wednesday killed five people, including Al Akhbar reporter Amal Khalil, Al Jazeera reported.

Lebanon’s Information Minister Paul Morcos accused Israel of targeting Khalil, adding that targeting “journalists is a heinous crime and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, which we will not remain silent about,” according to an X post translated from Arabic.

The ceasefire comes shortly after Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran indefinitely ahead of a potential second round of negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arraghchi announced on X on Friday that he was leaving for Islamabad, but he added that the trip’s purpose is to “closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments.”

There has been no indication from the White House so far that U.S. negotiators, including Vice President Vance, are heading to Islamabad to meet with an Iranian delegation.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

Trump previously suggested that talks between both countries would be held by Friday. He has warned that the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place. Iran reopened the strait following the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Lebanon but shut it down again hours later last Friday, citing the U.S. blockade.

The president said the blockade will remain while the U.S. waits for Iran to submit a peace deal. He added that the U.S. military will “remain ready and stable” should negotiations falter.

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