Israel Strikes South Lebanon After Framework Agreement, Hezbollah Rejects Deal

Israel renewed its strikes on Lebanon on Sunday (June 28, 2026), two days after an agreement was signed by the two countries, with Hezbollah lawmaker warning it would lead to “internal conflict”.

“At the signing ceremony for the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon in Washington on Friday, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the deal as “the beginning of the beginning””

Al Jazeera

The strikes came a day after one person was killed in an Israeli strike on the south, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, as the Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah members near its self-proclaimed “security zone”, which reaches 10 km (6 miles) into Lebanon.

Al Jazeera

Lebanese state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported several strikes on Sunday (June 28, 2026), while the Israeli army said a soldier “fell in combat” in southern Lebanon.

In a later statement, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir approved plans for “continued operations in the security zone, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement”.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, on Saturday (June 27, 2026) that his country “would assume its responsibilities” in implementing the framework agreement signed in Washington on Friday (June 26, 2026) after five rounds of talks.

Hezbollah rejected the framework agreement signed in Washington, with Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem saying on Saturday that the group would treat the deal as “null and void”.

Qassem also warned against linking an Israeli withdrawal to the disarmament of the resistance across all of Lebanon, calling it “a very dangerous proposal that crosses all red lines”.

Al-Jazeera Net

In Beirut, Tel Aviv signed the US-brokered framework deal in Washington on Friday after the fifth round of talks, and the Anadolu Ajansı report said the agreement came after Israeli attacks killed over 4,000 and wounded more than 4,000 others in Lebanon since March 2, according to Lebanese authorities.

The Express Tribune reported that Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad and her Israeli counterpart Yechiel Leiter signed the trilateral document with the US at the State Department in Washington, and it quoted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying, “Today we've taken the first step in what will be a difficult journey, without a doubt, but an important and an essential and a necessary one,”.

The BBC said Hezbollah is not party to Friday's agreement and it is unclear whether it will agree to withdraw its fighters from the South Litani area in southern Lebanon, as Israel and Lebanon both “affirm” the right of each state to “live in peace”.

The framework agreement described by the BBC says the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) will restore effective sovereign authority over all Lebanese territory, “pending the verified disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantlement of associated infrastructure”.

“Beirut, Tel Aviv sign US-brokered deal in Washington, conclude 5th round of talks aimed at resolving outstanding disputes between 2 sides Naim Berjawi 27 June 2026•Update: 27 June 2026 BEIRUT Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday rejected the framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel under US sponsorship, and called for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory in line with the Iranian-US memorandum of understanding”

Anadolu Ajansı

It also says Lebanon makes a specific request for support of international and “particularly Arab partners, under the leadership of the US”, and a US-supported military coordination group will be established to help implement the framework.

In parallel, the Express Tribune reported that the deal includes a “gradual” withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, without specifying a timeline or the areas covered by the withdrawal, and it said Israel’s death toll from the round includes at least 32 soldiers and four Israeli civilians.

The BBC reported that Israeli strikes on targets in southern Lebanon have threatened to derail efforts to settle the conflict, and it said Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 4,192 people since the current round of hostilities began, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces will remain in a “security zone” in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms, while the BBC said the Israeli army is currently occupying around 5% of the country's territory and that Israel was “allowing the Lebanese army to begin organising to take over some territory” in two pilot zones.