Continued Israeli Strikes and Partial Ceasefire
Israel continued its military operations in southern Lebanon on Tuesday but refrained from striking Beirut following a partial ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group.
Lebanese authorities stated that, according to an agreement announced by US President Donald Trump late on Monday, Israeli forces would avoid bombing the capital in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from attacks against Israel.
This development followed Iran's warning that Israeli actions in Lebanon threatened ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with the US.
After the ceasefire announcement, the Israeli military reported intercepting two projectiles fired into northern Israel. Hezbollah claimed it had targeted Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, where officials reported lethal Israeli strikes.
Casualties and Damage Near Jabal Amel Hospital
The Lebanese health ministry reported that four individuals were killed and 127 injured when Israeli airstrikes struck buildings adjacent to Jabal Amel hospital in the city of Tyre on Monday afternoon. Among the injured were 39 hospital staff, with four in critical condition.
The area surrounding the hospital on Tuesday was marked by extensive destruction. Debris including chunks of concrete and twisted metal littered the vicinity. The sounds of damaged vehicles and downed electrical wires echoed through otherwise quiet streets.
Except for a few local journalists, the streets were largely deserted.
A woman, visibly distressed, stood observing an apartment building reduced to partial ruins.
"I live there," she said, pointing to the wreckage, then added, "Used to."
Dr. Wael Mroueh, director of the hospital, recounted the chaotic aftermath.
"We were working with patients and displaced people. Business was as usual, and suddenly, 'boom'," he said. "It happened without any prior warning. Pictures speak volumes."
He denied the presence of any military targets near the hospital.
"The Israeli enemy targets journalists, ambulance workers, medical staff. It makes no difference, and all it wants is to kick us out of our country," he stated.
Inside the hospital, corridors were strewn with broken glass, and ceiling panels had collapsed onto the floors. A row of incubators was cracked and damaged by the blast's force.
Just four hours prior, baby Fares had been born in the maternity ward. He lay swaddled in a blue furry blanket, asleep, while his mother recovered nearby.
His grandmother, Amal, expressed pride as she showed him off.
"It's true life is very hard, but we need to bear it," she said, gazing at her grandson. "This is his country and land, and he [Fares] needs to defend it. This is a responsibility."
Israeli Military Statement and Lebanese Health Ministry Data
The Israeli military stated that it targeted "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure" in the area. It acknowledged damage to the hospital but emphasized it "was not targeted." The military also accused Hezbollah of embedding itself within civilian infrastructure and population centers, though no evidence was provided.
The Lebanese health ministry reported that 128 paramedics and healthcare workers have been killed in 159 attacks on ambulances and medical facilities over the past three months.
Further Strikes and Casualties
On Tuesday morning, Lebanon's civil defence agency reported another Israeli strike on its center in Kfar Sir, located in the Nabatieh district. The strike caused damage but no casualties. Photos shared on X showed twisted metal beams hanging from the ceiling and debris covering the floor.
A dentist from the nearby Christian village of Qlayaa was killed along with his daughter and son in a drone strike on the road between the towns of Marjayoun and Nabatieh, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.
Evacuation Orders and Military Warnings
The Israeli military issued a new evacuation order for Nabatieh town on Tuesday afternoon. It warned residents that it was "compelled to act forcefully" against Hezbollah there due to the group's "violation of the ceasefire agreement."
The military did not provide further details, but the Israeli foreign ministry stated that Hezbollah had breached Monday's declarations by launching "multiple missile and drone attacks from Lebanon against Israeli communities."
Hezbollah's military wing reported that its fighters targeted Israeli tanks and troops in the southern Lebanese towns of Haddatha, Bayada, and Zawtar al-Sharqiya with drones, missiles, and shells. It did not mention any cross-border attacks.
Background of the Conflict
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader.
Israel responded with an air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south, which has escalated in recent weeks.
According to Lebanon's health ministry, at least 3,468 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war began. The figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The United Nations reports that over one million people have registered as displaced within Lebanon, where Israeli evacuation orders cover more than one-eighth of the country.
Israel reports that 25 of its soldiers and four Israeli civilians have been killed on both sides of the border during the conflict.
Diplomatic Developments and Ceasefire Negotiations
On Monday evening, Lebanon's embassy in Washington confirmed that its government had received Hezbollah's acceptance of a US-backed proposal for a partial ceasefire, following a call between President Joseph Aoun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"Under the proposed arrangement, Israel will not launch a broad offensive on Beirut in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from launching attacks against Israel, creating an opportunity for the ceasefire framework to be expanded to encompass all Lebanese territory," the statement said.
President Trump subsequently informed Lebanese ambassador Nada Moawad that he had secured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approval. President Aoun then relayed the outcome to Hezbollah.
Later, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had spoken to Netanyahu and representatives of Hezbollah's leaders.
"They agreed to stop shooting at Israel, and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them," he added.
The Israeli prime minister issued a statement saying he had told Trump that "if Hezbollah does not stop firing at our cities and citizens, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut." He also stated that the Israeli military would "continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon."
Hezbollah has not publicly commented on the agreement.
However, senior Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah told the group's Al-Manar TV that it would not support a "one-sided" ceasefire and called for a comprehensive ceasefire as a prelude to the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.
Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, a longtime intermediary between Hezbollah and the US, told the New York Times that the group would accept a "real ceasefire."
Further negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington.
Israeli Strikes on Beirut and Political Reactions
The diplomatic efforts followed Netanyahu's announcement that he had ordered Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, in response to rocket and drone attacks on Israeli civilians and other violations of the April ceasefire agreement.
US news outlet Axios cited two US officials stating that Trump later "lashed out at" Netanyahu in "an expletive-laden call," instructing him not to proceed with his plan.
Some Israeli politicians criticized Netanyahu for accepting Trump's demand not to attack Beirut.
"Now is the time to tell... our friend 'no'," said far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Israel had become a "client state in full."
There has been no comment from the prime minister's office.
Axios suggested that Trump's anger stemmed from concerns that the Israeli escalation threatened negotiations on a deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Iranian Warnings and Potential Suspension of Talks
Netanyahu's threat prompted numerous warnings from Iranian officials. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the US-Iran truce was "unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon" and that "its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts."
Separately, Iran's hard-line Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran might suspend indirect negotiations with the US over Israeli military actions in Lebanon.
