At least 10 people were killed in Israeli air strikes across Lebanon on Saturday, just hours after a ceasefire came into effect, raising fresh uncertainty over efforts to advance a broader regional peace agreement.
Israel said the strikes were carried out in response to attacks by Hezbollah, while the Iran-backed group declared it would not allow Israel “freedom of movement” inside Lebanon.
A sustained ceasefire in Lebanon is a key condition for launching the planned 60-day negotiations between the United States and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear programme and other unresolved issues. The talks are seen as critical to securing a lasting agreement, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stabilising global oil markets, although it remains unclear when they will begin.