Israel kills 8 in attacks on Lebanon after Trump announces de-escalation

The deadly attacks raise concerns about the reported agreement on the cessation of hostilities.

At least eight people have been killed in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, according to the war-torn country’s National News Agency (NNA), hours after US President Donald Trump announced an agreement to de-escalate fighting that neither Israel nor the Lebanese group Hezbollah has publicly accepted.

Two Syrians were killed in an Israeli attack on a plant nursery where they were working in the town of Jebchit in the Nabatieh governorate, NNA said on Tuesday.

Israeli drone strikes hit a motorcycle on Martyr Sabra Street in Toul and a car in the Dhi’at al-Arab neighbourhood of Ansar, killing two people, NNA said.

The third strike hit a car near the village of Harouf, killing one person.

Separately, an Israeli drone strike hit a car on the road linking the southern town of Marjayoun with the city of Nabatieh, killing James Karam, a dentist from the nearby Christian municipality of Qlayaa, along with his daughter and son, NNA reported.

The family were returning home from the city of Sidon where the daughter, Theodossia, sat exams. Following the deadly attack, the Lebanese University postponed examinations until next week “out of its responsibility toward its students, professors and employees”.

Meanwhile, the death toll in yesterday’s attack on Jabal Amel Hospital in Tyre has risen to four people, with 50 people injured. There was significant damage to the hospital wards, the parking garage and neighbouring buildings. NNA described this toll as “preliminary”.

The attacks come as the fourth round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon began at the US State Department headquarters in Washington. Lebanese negotiators are set to seek a full ceasefire that will prevent future attacks.

The talks that began in April were the first in more than 30 years between the countries, which have no formal diplomatic relations. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks, counting on pressure from Iran.

The deadly Israeli attacks also come hours after Trump said he had held separate phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah leaders and announced that Israel and the Iran-aligned armed group had agreed to de-escalate attacks.

The office of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said under the agreement, Hezbollah would no longer fire into Israel while the Israeli military would cease striking the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The developments followed a dramatic escalation in violence that saw Israeli troops stage their deepest incursion into Lebanon in