Israeli Airstrikes Kill 13 in Southern Lebanon; Hezbollah Fires Rockets at Troops

Hezbollah indicated it would abide by the ceasefire terms if respected by Israel. U.S. Gen Joseph Clearfield at the Beirut air base on Saturday. During the talks, emphasis was placed on the importance of the army's role and the necessity of supporting it amid the current phase, according to the Lebanese army.

-backed ceasefire between Israel and the warring sides. U.S. support to Lebanon.

An initial 10-day pause in hostilities was announced on April 16 following ambassador talks in Washington between Israel and Lebanon. The Washington talks are the first direct talks between officials from Israel and Lebanon since 1993, and the first high-level set of talks between them since 1993. A three-week extension to the ceasefire was announced by President Trump on April 23.

'The second meeting between the two countries went very well,' President Trump stated. 'The US would be working with Lebanon to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,' he added. Israeli officials have restricted gatherings in areas in the country’s north to no greater than 1,500 people.

Netanyahu has cancelled the annual Lag B’Omer celebrations on Mount Meron due to ongoing security concerns. 32 people were injured on Friday, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Israel resumed hostilities against Hezbollah after the group fired missiles into Israel when the war against Iran broke out in February.

Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into Israel in retaliation on March 2. U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 and killed Iran's supreme leader. In response, Israel bombarded Lebanon with airstrikes.

Israeli forces re-entered southern Lebanon in early March, where they have destroyed villages and remained occupying 10km of Lebanese territory. The IDF has established a military buffer zone over much of Lebanese territory south of the Litani River, roughly corresponding to the area Israeli troops were stationed in from 1986 to 2000.

Since early March, 2,659 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 103 health care workers and emergency responders, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire ending a previous conflict in November 2024. Israel carried out near-daily attacks on targets and people it said were linked to Hezbollah after the November 2024 ceasefire. Israel and Lebanon have been in a formal state of war since 1948.