By Elsie Kamsiyochi
A fragile U.S.-mediated effort to contain the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah faced a major challenge on Wednesday after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel and Israeli forces responded with a series of strikes across Lebanon, including areas near Beirut.
The exchange of fire has raised concerns that the latest diplomatic efforts led by U.S. President Donald Trump could unravel just days after both sides appeared willing to reduce hostilities. The renewed violence comes at a critical moment as Washington continues to push for a broader regional agreement involving Iran, Israel, and Lebanon.
According to the Israeli military, two rockets fired from Lebanon crossed into Israeli territory and were successfully intercepted before causing casualties. Israeli officials described the attack as a direct violation of understandings reached through American mediation earlier this week. Hezbollah later claimed responsibility, saying it had targeted an Israeli military position in northern Israel with a barrage of rockets.
The attack marked Hezbollah’s first publicly announced cross-border rocket strike since Monday, when Trump revealed that he had personally urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from carrying out a major military operation against Beirut. At the same time, Hezbollah, through intermediaries, reportedly indicated it would halt attacks on Israel.
Despite those commitments, tensions have remained high along the border.
Lebanese security officials reported that Israeli drone strikes hit at least ten vehicles throughout Lebanon on Wednesday. One of the most significant attacks struck a vehicle in the Khalde district, located just south of Beirut along the country’s main coastal highway. The strike wounded two people and represented the closest Israeli attack to the Lebanese capital since Trump’s intervention earlier in the week.
Additional Israeli strikes were reported across southern Lebanon. Near the coastal city of Tyre, an airstrike reportedly killed six people, including four Syrian nationals and two Palestinians, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Another strike allegedly hit an ambulance in the town of Chehour, killing two medics. Lebanese military officials also said an army soldier was killed while traveling on a southern road when his vehicle was targeted.
Israel did not immediately comment on the specific strikes, though military operations have intensified in southern Lebanon where Israeli forces continue to maintain what they describe as a security zone.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had warned on Tuesday that any attack originating from Lebanon would trigger a strong response and could lead to strikes against Hezbollah-controlled areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Following Wednesday’s rocket launch, Israeli officials argued that Hezbollah had crossed a red line established under the recent understandings.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Leiter, said the successful interceptions prevented what could have become a deadly attack on civilians. He emphasized that Israel’s decision to avoid major strikes on Beirut was based on the expectation that Hezbollah would cease attacks against Israeli territory.
Prime Minister Netanyahu later stated that Israeli authorities were still reviewing the circumstances surrounding the rocket fire but stressed that Israel would respond if Hezbollah was found responsible.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli military also announced it had intercepted what it described as a hostile aircraft that entered Israeli airspace. Military officials indicated the object was likely a drone launched from Lebanon.
The latest escalation comes against the backdrop of a wider regional conflict that has intensified since March. Hezbollah entered the confrontation in support of Iran after U.S. and Israeli military operations targeted Iranian facilities. Since then, repeated exchanges of fire have transformed southern Lebanon into one of the most active fronts in the broader Middle East crisis.
Iran has continued to insist that any future agreement with the United States must include an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. Iranian officials have also suggested in recent days that Tehran could become more directly involved if Israeli attacks continue or expand.
Adding to the tension, Iran’s military recently issued warnings urging residents of northern Israel to evacuate if Israel launched major attacks on Beirut.
Although Israel heavily bombarded Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, during the early stages of the conflict, large-scale attacks on the area have become less frequent following diplomatic pressure from Washington. However, Wednesday’s strike near Beirut highlighted how quickly the situation could deteriorate.
Meanwhile, fighting continues across southern Lebanon. Hezbollah stated that it conducted 13 separate operations against Israeli forces on Tuesday alone. Israel, for its part, issued fresh evacuation warnings to residents in six towns and villages, advising civilians to leave before military operations against Hezbollah targets begin.
The human cost of the conflict continues to mount. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says more than 3,500 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including hundreds of women, children, and medical personnel. The ministry has not provided a breakdown distinguishing civilians from combatants. Israeli authorities report that 26 soldiers and four civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks during the same period.
Amid the ongoing violence, diplomatic efforts remain underway. Representatives from the Lebanese and Israeli governments met in Washington for a second consecutive day of talks, marking their fourth face-to-face meeting since the conflict began. The discussions, facilitated by the United States, are aimed at establishing a framework for long-term security and preventing the war from expanding further.
U.S. Secretary of State expressed hope that the negotiations would produce a joint statement and a concrete security plan for Lebanon that would operate independently of Hezbollah and outside the influence of regional militant groups.
Whether those diplomatic efforts can survive the latest exchange of rockets and airstrikes remains uncertain, but Wednesday’s events underscored just how fragile the current ceasefire understandings have become as the region stands on the edge of a wider confrontation.
Source Reuters
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