Iran presses – As Israeli forces hit multiple towns across southern Lebanon and Hezbollah struck Israeli positions, Tehran and Israel clashed over when a US-Iran agreement should take effect—while Lebanon’s health ministry reported thousands killed and wounded since March 2.
Smoke hung over Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon after reported Israeli strikes on Saturday, a grim backdrop to a day of raids that kept widening across the south.
In the town of Al-Rihan. a raid by Israeli forces killed a mayor as heavy fire was launched on 19 areas. according to reporting carried by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). The fighting did not stay contained. Two other people were killed in separate raids after the Israeli military attacked Tyre. Jezzine and Nabatiyeh. while Israeli planes struck the towns of Seddiqine. Borj Qalaouiyah. Majdal Zoun and Al-Kanisa—including a raid on a church. NNA reported.
Evacuation notices followed. The Israeli military issued evacuation statements for residents in four areas—Ghassaniyah. Zarrariyah. Kothriyah Al-Reez Farm. and Sir Al-Gharbiyah—also on Saturday. The UN had previously warned that the breadth of such blanket orders could amount to “prohibited forced displacement.”.
Israel’s military framed the campaign as targeting Hezbollah. Over the past 24 hours in southern Lebanon. the Israeli military claimed it “struck more than 70 Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites.” Hezbollah. in turn. claimed responsibility for 19 attacks on Israeli army posts Friday through Saturday. in statements posted on Telegram.
The day’s violence fed directly into the diplomatic argument unfolding between Tehran and Washington. Iran insisted Israeli forces halt attacks in Lebanon. warning that any agreement with the United States must include a ceasefire there. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on state television Friday that the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran—still not signed—would include a resolution for the conflict in Lebanon “and all other fronts.”.
Israel’s position did not soften. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said troops would not withdraw from occupied areas in Lebanon, doubling down on the military’s intent to “act against both near and distant threats.”
Numbers from both sides underscored the human cost of that collision between battlefield reality and diplomatic timelines. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reported on Saturday that Israeli attacks have killed 3. 756 people and injured 11. 632 others in Lebanon since March 2. The Israeli military said that 30 Israeli soldiers have been killed, along with 24 civilians.
At the same time, the UN warning about blanket evacuation orders and the repeated reports of strikes—down to raids including a church—put ordinary life under pressure while negotiators argued over whether Lebanon would be pulled into any ceasefire.
Where the situation stands now is clear in the headlines of the day: while a US-Iran agreement is being discussed, the fighting in Lebanon continued Saturday across multiple towns, and the timing dispute between Tehran and Israel remained unresolved.
Iran war news Lebanon Israeli strikes Hezbollah Abbas Araghchi Israel Katz US-Iran agreement ceasefire Majdal Zoun Al-Rihan
So is this the US deal starting or not? they keep moving the goalposts.
Blanket evacuation orders sound messed up, like they’re forcing people out and calling it security. Also “Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure” like how convenient, huh.
Wait the mayor got killed in Al-Rihan but they’re saying it’s just targeting Hezbollah? I feel like it’s always civilians paying for it. And the UN warning about “prohibited forced displacement” is probably gonna get ignored too.
This whole US-Iran agreement thing confuses me. Like if it’s not even signed yet then why are we fighting about when it takes effect? Sounds like both sides are using Lebanon as leverage, but I swear I heard somewhere this was supposed to calm down by now.