Israeli airstrikes kill nine in Lebanon amid rocket fire from Hezbollah

Israeli airstrikes killed nine people in Lebanon on Tuesday, drawing rocket fire from Hezbollah in response and threatening a ceasefire the two sides had agreed to the previous day.

Hezbollah launched rockets across the border into northern Israel following the strikes, according to witnesses and military statements. Israeli defense officials said their air operations targeted positions held by the militant group.

The exchange marks the first significant breach of the partial ceasefire arrangement reached Monday between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group backed by Iran. Officials from both sides had indicated the agreement aimed to reduce cross-border hostilities that have escalated over months of sporadic fighting.

Israeli military spokesperson confirmed the airstrikes targeted what officials characterized as militant positions. Hezbollah claimed its rockets struck Israeli military installations, though independent confirmation of those claims remained unavailable.

Casualty figures for the nine killed came from Lebanese health officials and local rescue workers responding to the strikes. The locations of the strikes and identities of those killed were not immediately specified.

Israeli officials said their military maintained the right to respond to any attacks emanating from Lebanese territory. Hezbollah stated it would continue defending Lebanon against what it called Israeli aggression.

The violence occurred amid broader tensions in the region. Israel has conducted military operations against Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon and Syria over the past year, citing security threats along its northern border.

International observers have monitored the ceasefire closely, with diplomats from France and the United States involved in brokering the Monday agreement. Neither country immediately issued statements responding to Tuesday's escalation.

Lebanon's government, which has limited control over Hezbollah's military operations, called for both sides to honor the ceasefire. A Lebanese official urged international mediators to intervene.

Hezbollah commands significant military resources and operates largely independent from Lebanon's state apparatus. The group maintains armed wings that Israel, the United States, and several other nations designate as terrorist organizations.

The ceasefire framework remained vaguely defined, with neither Israel nor Hezbollah clarifying specific terms or conditions that would govern the agreement going forward. Military analysts said ambiguity around enforcement mechanisms and response protocols could complicate efforts to sustain the truce.

Border residents on both sides have reported increased military activity in recent weeks. Israeli civilians in northern communities near Lebanon have sheltered periodically in response to rocket alerts.