At least five people were killed in a fresh wave of Israeli air and drone strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, according to Lebanese state media, in one of the first major violations reported since Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group agreed to a renewed ceasefire.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said the strikes targeted more than a dozen locations across the Nabatieh region overnight and into Saturday morning. Three people were reportedly killed in the town of Arab Salim, while separate drone strikes in Deir al-Zahrani and Dweir claimed two more lives. The attacks also damaged residential buildings, with artillery shelling reported in parts of southern Lebanon before dawn.

The latest violence came less than 24 hours after a renewed ceasefire was announced following days of intense fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The truce had raised hopes of easing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, but Saturday’s strikes underscored the fragility of the agreement.

The Israeli military had not immediately issued a detailed statement on the specific strikes at the time of publication. Israel has consistently maintained that its operations in southern Lebanon are aimed at preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding military capabilities or launching attacks against Israeli territory.

The renewed hostilities also threaten wider diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the region. The ceasefire was announced as part of broader international efforts to stabilise the Middle East and create conditions for renewed talks involving the United States and Iran on regional security and Tehran’s nuclear programme. Continued fighting in Lebanon has already complicated those diplomatic initiatives.

Southern Lebanon has remained one of the region’s most volatile flashpoints since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated earlier this year. Repeated cross-border attacks have displaced thousands of civilians, damaged infrastructure and deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis.

Saturday’s strikes are likely to intensify concerns over whether the latest ceasefire can hold, as regional and international actors continue efforts to prevent a broader escalation of the conflict. With both sides yet to demonstrate sustained restraint, the situation along the Israel-Lebanon border remains highly unstable despite ongoing diplomatic engagement.