Just one day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, both sides have engaged in a fresh round of retaliatory strikes.

The fighting persisted throughout Friday between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, casting a shadow over diplomatic efforts to maintain the truce.

IDF Targets Rocket Launchers
The Israeli military confirmed it conducted strikes on Hezbollah rocket launchers in the southern Lebanese towns of Yater and Kafra. According to an IDF statement, these launchers posed an immediate threat to both Israeli troops and civilians.

Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported that the strikes across southern Lebanon resulted in at least six deaths and left two others injured.

Hezbollah Retaliates
In response, Hezbollah announced it had targeted an Israeli armored vehicle in the Ramiyah area of southern Lebanon. In a released statement, the group claimed the attack was a direct retaliation for the destruction of civilian homes by Israeli forces.

Hezbollah further alleged that Israel is systematically violating the ceasefire agreement by continuing its demolition of residential property in southern border villages.

A Fragile Extension
The escalation follows President Trump’s Thursday announcement regarding the extension of the truce. However, the deal appears increasingly fragile as both parties trade accusations of non-compliance.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Asserted that Israel will continue to strike against "any threat" emanating from Lebanon. He maintained that under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel retains the right to take all necessary measures for self-defense.

Hezbollah: Argued that the ceasefire agreement has become "meaningless" due to continued Israeli incursions and strikes on Lebanese territory.

As the situation remains volatile, international observers fear that the three-week extension may fail to hold without a more robust enforcement of the terms.
Source: CNN