Six dead including a child as Israel launches strikes into Lebanon leaving ceasefire with Hezbollah on knife edge
22 March 2025, 09:51 | Updated: 22 March 2025, 20:13
Israel launched a series of airstrikes into Southern Lebanon after intercepting rockets fired from across the border on Saturday, killing at least six people, including a child.
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The strikes risk shattering Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah, which was agreed after the IDF launched a ground invasion of Southern Lebanon last year.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said a strike in the southern village of Touline had killed five people including a child, and wounded 11 others including two children.
It marks a second wave of strikes that have taken place on Saturday. A strike also hit a garage in the coastal city of Tyre, the NNA reported, with one person killed and seven wounded.
It was the first time the city had been struck since the ceasefire took effect.
The Israeli Defence Forces warned it would respond “severely” following rocket fire from Lebanon on Saturday.
In a statement, Hezbollah denied being responsible for the latest attack, saying it was committed to the truce.
Early on Saturday, the IDF said three projectiles had crossed into Israel from Lebanese territory, all three were intercepted.
Israel agreed its ceasefire with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in November.
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The agreement has largely held, despite both sides accusing the other of breaching its terms.
Israel’s attack on Lebanon followed a week where it launched a series of strikes on Gaza, as well as a limited invasion, shattering its ceasefire with Hamas.
At least 400 people, mostly civilians, died in Israel’s strikes early last week.
The UN said one of its workers was killed in strikes on Wednesday.
They formed part of a new wave of air attacks on the Palestinian territory by Israel, which shattered the fragile ceasefire that has been in place since January.
The strikes, which killed mostly women and children according to Gaza health officials, were ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu early on Tuesday after Hamas refused Israeli demands to change the ceasefire agreement.
They were "only the beginning" he said, and announced Israel would press on with its aim to eliminate Hamas and free all hostages held by the militant group.
Keir Starmer said he was "deeply concerned" about the ceasefire ending.
He told MPs: "The images of parents carrying their children, young children to hospitals that have emerged over the last few days are truly shocking alongside the sheer number of people who have been killed.
"We will do all we can to ensure the resumption of the ceasefire to get the remaining hostages out and to get aid that's desperately needed in."
The Prime Minister's official spokesman later insisted that "all parties, including Israel, must respect international humanitarian law".
He added: "We're clear that Israel must have security, and Hamas cannot play any role in the future of Gaza, but we must see the talks urgently resume, the ceasefire agreement to implement in full and see permanent peace worked towards."
Mr Netanyahu has said that all future ceasefire talks with Hamas will now take place "under fire".
