Violent clashes between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah fighters continued on Friday, despite a recently announced three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, CNN reported.
The IDF confirmed strikes on Hezbollah rocket launchers in the southern Lebanese towns of Yater and Kafra, stating the targets “posed a threat to IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.” According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the Israeli bombardment killed at least six people and wounded two others.
In response, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted an Israeli armored personnel carrier in Ramyah, citing the destruction of homes in southern Lebanon as a violation of the truce that justified their retaliation.
The ongoing violence highlights the fragility of the agreement announced by US President Donald Trump on Thursday.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel maintains the right to take “all necessary measures in self-defense,” a clause Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used to justify continued strikes against perceived threats. Conversely, Hezbollah has dismissed the agreement as “meaningless” due to persistent Israeli operations on Lebanese soil.
This regional instability persists as Washington shifts its diplomatic focus toward Pakistan. Special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on Saturday, April 25, for direct talks with Iranian representatives.
While the US team, including Vice President JD Vance on standby, seeks a broader regional settlement, the escalating tit-for-tat strikes in Lebanon threaten to undermine the “hard-nosed diplomacy” Trump has championed to stabilize the Middle East.
With a third US aircraft carrier now in the region and the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continuing, observers warn that the failure to hold the Israel-Lebanon truce could complicate the upcoming nuclear negotiations with Tehran, where the “clock is ticking” ahead of a separate April deadline.