• Israeli forces continue attacks in southern Lebanon, with Lebanese media reporting a large explosion in Rachaf and a bombing in Beit Yahoun.
• Israeli forces kill five Palestinians in Gaza as Defense Minister Israel Katz says the Israeli military will continue to occupy so-called “security zones” in Lebanon “until further notice”.

Israeli forces carry out drone strike in southern Lebanon

Israel continues to launch attacks on southern Lebanon despite signing a framework agreement to end hostilities last week.

The following has been reported over the past 24 hours:

• Heavy gunfire has been heard from Khiam.
• An Israeli drone strike targeted Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon.
• Israeli forces carried out controlled demolitions in Haddatha and Beit Yahoun, both villages in the Bint Jbeil District near the Israeli border.
• An Israeli drone dropped three stun grenades on Yater, a village in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border.

Lebanese PM says US-backed framework with Israel sets stage for talks

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says the US-sponsored deal with Israel is intended to define the path of negotiations towards a lasting settlement but is not itself a treaty.

“The phrase ‘framework agreement’ causes confusion,” local media quoted Salam as saying.

“We are talking about a guiding framework for negotiations to define their path with the aim of reaching an agreement,” he said in an interview with Lebanon’s private broadcaster LBCI.

“We are not enthusiasts for negotiations with Israel, but we reached this stage after two wars that left thousands of victims,” he said.

Israel and Lebanon signed a US-backed framework on Friday to pave the way for peace talks between the two countries. Hezbollah, however, said it doesn’t recognize any deal and has refused to disarm or disband.

Iran ‘won’t torch sanctions relief and regime recovery’ over Lebanon

Israel’s refusal to pull out troops from southern Lebanon puts the United States “in breach by proxy” of the interim deal with Iran, an analyst says.

Tehran in response has postponed Switzerland talks and is “throttling Hormuz in protest”, Muhanad Seloom, assistant professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said.

“Still neither side walks: Iran needs sanctions relief … Trump needs the strait open. This is managed brinkmanship not collapse,” he added.

“Iran forced Lebanon into the MoU to prove it still speaks for the axis [of resistance], but Hezbollah has been gutted so its deterrent value collapsed at the exact moment Tehran needs it as a symbol,” said Seloom.

“That’s the sovereignty trap: Iran must be seen defending Lebanon while the capacity to do so is gone. Lebanon is leverage – and leverage you trade not die on. Tehran will push hard and rattle Hormuz but won’t torch sanctions relief and regime recovery over the pace of an [Israeli] pullout.”

Syria foreign minister says Syria open to meeting Hezbollah

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani is in Lebanon and met President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally.

The former rebel fighters that now govern Syria fought against Hezbollah for years as it was deployed there to support former President Bashar al-Assad. It would be the first time the two sides meet.

Al-Shaibani said Syria is open to meeting Hezbollah representatives “if interests require ⁠it”, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

His visit comes as Damascus insists it does not want to intervene militarily in Lebanon despite pressure from the United States to do so. President Trump has repeatedly said Syria could “take care of Hezbollah” while criticizing Israel’s failure to destroy the Lebanese armed group.

Iran ‘won’t torch sanctions relief and regime recovery’ over Lebanon

Israel’s refusal to pull out troops from southern Lebanon puts the United States “in breach by proxy” of the interim deal with Iran, an analyst says.

Tehran in response has postponed Switzerland talks and is “throttling Hormuz in protest”, Muhanad Seloom, assistant professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said.

“Still neither side walks: Iran needs sanctions relief … Trump needs the strait open. This is managed brinkmanship not collapse,” he added.

“Iran forced Lebanon into the MoU to prove it still speaks for the axis [of resistance], but Hezbollah has been gutted so its deterrent value collapsed at the exact moment Tehran needs it as a symbol,” said Seloom.

“That’s the sovereignty trap: Iran must be seen defending Lebanon while the capacity to do so is gone. Lebanon is leverage – and leverage you trade not die on. Tehran will push hard and rattle Hormuz but won’t torch sanctions relief and regime recovery over the pace of an [Israeli] pullout.”

Lebanon-Syria sign non-interference agreement

Lebanon and Syria have signed an agreement of mutual respect and non-interference in Beirut.

It comes as Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Lebanon’s capital in the presence of delegations from both sides.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported the agreement includes “principles of cooperation, including respect for the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of either state, equality between the two parties, and non-interference”.

The deal was signed as both Lebanon and Syria face ongoing attacks by Israel as it continues to invade and occupy neighboring nations.

Aoun vows Lebanon will not yield ‘a single inch’ of territory to Israel

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun defended the Lebanese government’s negotiations with Israel, saying they were not a betrayal and he would not surrender “a single inch of Lebanon’s territory”, according to the presidency.

“It is time for Lebanon to emerge from the era of wars and tutelages, and the majority of Lebanese support this path, especially our people in the south who deserve to live with dignity and security,” Aoun said in a statement shared by the Lebanese presidency.

The Lebanese government has come under fire lately, with many criticizing that the deal struck with Israel gives up parts of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

But Aoun said “the provisions of the framework agreement do not conflict with Lebanese rights and principles; on the contrary, they seek to guarantee them in full.”

“Anyone who respects the principle of sovereignty must respect the state’s decision in this context,” he added.

Increased death toll in Lebanon from Israeli attacks

Lebanon’s health ministry says at least 4,298 people killed and 12,196 wounded by Israeli attacks since March 2.

The toll continues to climb despite a ceasefire in place for more than two months.

Lebanese army commander meets UK, Pakistani diplomats

Army Commander General Rudolph Haykal met British Deputy National Security Adviser for International Affairs Barbara Woodward and a British delegation in Yarzeh, in the presence of UK Ambassador Hamish Cowell, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The talks focused on the Lebanese army’s role, progress on implementing the framework agreement, and avenues of support for the military amid the challenges facing Lebanon during what officials described as a critical period, NNA added.

Haykal also received Pakistani Ambassador Salman Athar. Discussions covered Haykal’s recent visit to Pakistan and ways to advance the outcomes of the trip.

More residents of southern Lebanon return home to destruction

Residents are gradually returning to the southern Lebanese town of Qana, and other villages in the Tyre district, our team on the ground reports.

About 90 percent of Qana’s population has returned, despite widespread destruction of roads, homes and infrastructure.

The UN estimates that about 40 percent of Lebanon’s total displaced population has returned home.