Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed three people on Thursday, June 18, 2026, according to Lebanese state media. The strikes occurred hours after the United States and Iran signed an agreement to end the Middle East war. The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli drone targeted a car in the Kfar Tebnit area, killing two people, while another drone strike in the neighboring village of Zebdine killed one more person.
Meanwhile, Israel's military announced the death of one of its soldiers the night before in an incident in southern Lebanon that also left seven others wounded. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, has been engaged in hostilities with Israel since March, when it launched attacks to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader. Israel retaliated with broad strikes and a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, a region long under Hezbollah's influence.
Despite the US-Iran agreement, which includes a pledge to ensure Lebanon's territorial integrity, Israel has continued its military operations. The Israeli military released a new map showing a slight expansion of its "security zone" in Lebanon, stating that its soldiers would continue to "remove threats and strengthen the defense of Israel’s northern residents." The agreement between the US and Iran, signed on Wednesday, aims to resolve the war and negotiate a long-term peace deal over a 60-day period. However, Israel was excluded from these negotiations, and Iran has insisted that any peace deal must also cover Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the prolonged conflict and the high civilian casualties. Trump has urged Netanyahu to dial back military activity against Hezbollah, citing concerns over destabilizing the peace agreement and the economic impact of the war. Netanyahu, however, has remained firm on Israel's right to respond to attacks from Hezbollah.
The conflict has displaced over a million people in Lebanon, and the recent strikes have raised doubts about the effectiveness of the US-Iran agreement. The memorandum of understanding signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian calls for the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of a US blockade on Iran's ports. However, the ongoing violence in Lebanon threatens to undermine these efforts.