Hezbollah Accuses Israel of Ceasefire Violation as Deadly Strikes Continue Across Lebanon
Lebanese health ministry raises war toll as clashes intensify despite renewed truce announcement
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah accused Israel on Saturday of violating a recently announced ceasefire, as Israeli air and ground operations continued to strike southern and eastern Lebanon, deepening fears that the fragile truce may collapse.
In a statement, Hezbollah said Israel bore “full responsibility” for what it described as repeated violations of the ceasefire announced a day earlier, arguing that ongoing attacks amounted to “clear aggression and a continuation of the war in every sense.”
The group further alleged that Israel had “never adhered to ceasefire provisions,” referencing both the latest truce framework and earlier international agreements linked to broader diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran.
Israeli forces, according to Hezbollah, also attempted overnight incursions toward strategic high ground overlooking the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh. The group said its fighters confronted the advancing troops near the Ali Taher hills, describing an ambush and direct engagement with Israeli units.
“Under the cover of the ceasefire, the enemy last night carried out an infiltration attempt towards the Ali Taher hills,” Hezbollah said, adding that its fighters “confronted them with appropriate weapons.”
The group stressed that while it remains committed to the ceasefire, it would respond to any attempt to expand Israeli control inside Lebanese territory.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah echoed the group’s position, saying Israel must fully respect the ceasefire or face consequences. “The resistance has the full right to confront this enemy when it attacks us, as it is the aggressor and the occupier,” he said, adding that any violation of Lebanese territory would be met with resistance.
On the ground, Israeli strikes continued across southern and eastern Lebanon, despite international calls for restraint following the ceasefire announcement. The escalation has raised concerns that both sides are already undermining efforts to stabilize the front after months of heavy fighting.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported a sharply rising death toll linked to the ongoing conflict. It said that since March 2, when the latest Israel-Hezbollah war began, 4,057 people have been killed, including 135 health and emergency workers, while 12,121 others have been wounded.
The ministry also revised its casualty figures for Friday’s strikes, raising the death toll to 83 and the number of wounded to 141. Most of the casualties were reported in southern Lebanon, with additional fatalities recorded in the country’s east.
The latest developments underscore the fragility of the ceasefire arrangement and the continued risk of escalation along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, where both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations in recent months.