Israeli Strikes Kill 14 in Southern Lebanon Despite Extended Ceasefire

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed 14 people on Sunday, according to Lebanon's health ministry. The attacks marked the deadliest day since a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war took effect over a week ago. Smoke rose from multiple sites following the strikes, as reported across sources.

The U.S. announced three days ago that the ceasefire was extended by three weeks after talks. Despite the extension, Israel issued evacuation orders for towns in southern Lebanon beyond a designated buffer zone. Hezbollah rejected allegations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it was undermining the ceasefire.

Hezbollah stated it would not cease its attacks on Israeli troops as long as Israel continued ceasefire violations. The group has launched drone and rocket fire at Israeli positions in occupied parts of southern Lebanon and across the border. Lebanese officials reported that Israeli actions included air strikes, demolitions, and artillery shelling since the ceasefire began.

Thousands fled southern Lebanon after the evacuation orders, leading to traffic jams reminiscent of the war's early days. In one incident, an Israeli missile struck a coffee stand at a roundabout in the Tyre district, killing at least one person and injuring others.

A community leader in an affected village said about 75 percent of residents had returned home during the ceasefire but were now evacuating again. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan and Oman recently, discussing negotiations with the U.S. and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

He described the Pakistan trip as very productive and noted high consensus with Oman on strait issues. Araghchi arrived in St. Petersburg for talks with Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, to discuss war developments. He stated the meeting would be a good opportunity to review the latest situation and coordinate between Tehran and Moscow.

U.S. forces have turned back 38 ships as part of a blockade on Iranian ports, according to Central Command. Iran offered new terms to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, postponing nuclear negotiations, as reported by Axios citing a U.S. official and sources with knowledge.

Brent crude oil prices rose more than 2 percent on Sunday, reaching $107.35, up 47 percent since the war's start, amid the diplomatic impasse. Major Asian stock markets opened higher despite the uncertainty, with Japan's Nikkei gaining 0.4 percent and South Korea's Kospi up 1.5 percent.

Investors focused on the holding ceasefire and ongoing diplomacy. Russian lawmaker Alexey Pushkov told TASS that the U.S. was clearly unprepared militarily for war on Iran, citing Iran's underground missile facilities and arsenal. Russia's envoy Mikhail Ulyanov wrote on X that the U.S. must drop ultimatums and blackmail for talks to progress.

In Iran, seven-year-old Makan Nasiri remains missing after a U.S. bombing of Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab on February 28, the deadliest civilian incident in the conflict. His father, Cyrus Nasiri, searched the ruins but found no trace, and authorities closed the case after seven weeks.

At a Beirut school sheltering displaced civilians, Narman al-Shreem described displacement as something that kills you, comparing it to a fish out of water. She gave birth amid uncertainty, questioning her baby's future.

“You don’t go to the table to demand surrender. The other side is not going to surrender, because they haven’t lost. So you have to cut a deal.”

Polls since Hamas' 2023 attack on southern Israel predict Netanyahu will lose the next election, due by October's end. His biggest rivals have joined forces. Diplomatic sources in Islamabad indicated sides are inching toward a framework for agreement, including Gulf countries, to avoid repeating the 2015 JCPOA exclusion.