A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came under strain again on Saturday after fresh Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon reportedly killed five people, including a Lebanese army soldier and two children, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).The latest attacks came less than 24 hours after a ceasefire brokered by the US and Qatar took effect and raised new concerns about the viability of the broader Iran-US peace framework, which includes provisions aimed at ending hostilities in Lebanon.According to the NNA, a Lebanese army soldier was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting the Kfarremen intersection. In separate attacks, Sohmur, Shibal and Barish town of Jezzine district were hit, where four members of a family, including a father, mother and two children, were killed.The agency also reported airstrikes on the Hima Labaya area, low-flying drones on Beirut’s southern suburbs and a series of raids on Kfarreman, Habboush, Nabatieh al-Fouka, Chowkin, Zebedin and Kfarjouz. Civil defense teams and emergency responders continued search and rescue operations amid reports of several people trapped under debris.The renewed violence follows the deadliest wave of Israeli attacks in Lebanon since the Iran-US accord was announced earlier this week. At least 18 people were killed in Israeli strikes Thursday night after four Israeli soldiers, including a battalion commander, were killed in Hezbollah attacks in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese officials.Despite the ceasefire taking effect on Friday afternoon, an Israeli airstrike was reported near the southern Lebanese town of Sajad shortly afterwards, according to Lebanese media.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have indicated that military operations will continue despite the ceasefire.IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said, “These attacks by Hezbollah are a violation of the ceasefire. They prove that Hezbollah’s goal remains the same: to remain on Israel’s borders and to plan and carry out attacks on our civilians. This is not a reality we can accept, and that is why the IDF continues to operate in southern Lebanon. Recent events have made one thing clear: IDF troops Must stand between Hezbollah and Israeli citizens.”“We will not wait for the next attack to reach our homes. We will continue to address the immediate threats, respond to Hezbollah’s violations, and do whatever is necessary to protect our citizens,” he said.Israel says its latest operation is a response to Hezbollah attacks that killed four soldiers and wounded several others. The IDF claimed to have struck more than 100 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon and killed dozens of militants.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the military operation and vowed further action.“I express my heartfelt condolences to the commander of the 52nd Armored Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedaliya Ben Simhon, and to the families of the three heroic fighters, whose names have not yet been released, may their blood be avenged and I wish a full recovery to those injured in yesterday’s shooting. Following Hezbollah’s heinous attack, which was a flagrant violation of the ceasefire, last night I told the IDF “Instructed to attack Hezbollah with full force.” Netanyahu said.He said, “The IDF struck more than 80 terrorist targets and killed dozens of terrorists. Subsequently, the IDF attacked the Hezbollah headquarters in the Bekaa Valley this morning.”He further warned: “This morning, I assessed the situation with the Defense Minister and the Chief of the General Staff. My directive is clear: Israel will not tolerate attacks on our troops or our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks.” As I have made abundantly clear, including yesterday: Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon as long as necessary to protect the settlements in the north.“The escalation has also been accompanied by inflammatory rhetoric from Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose comments have been widely criticized.“For every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must cry. The whole of Lebanon must burn!” Ben-Gvir wrote on X.“With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the safety of our citizens will not be forfeited. The whole of Lebanon must burn.”“Enough ping-pong. In the Middle East, you don’t win with measured reactions and restraint–you need to be frantic. To wipe out. To crush terror.”On the Lebanese side, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said the group would continue to defend itself if attacked.“The project to destroy Hezbollah and consolidate the occupation has failed, and the Israelis will withdraw from every last inch of our land,” Qassem said in a televised address.He also accused Israel and the United States of attempting to weaken Lebanon’s resistance movement and meddling in the country’s future.The renewed fighting jeopardizes one of the key provisions of the 14-point Iran-US accord, which calls for an immediate and permanent halt to military operations, including in Lebanon, while negotiations on a comprehensive agreement continue.The violence also coincided with the postponement of technical talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland, which were expected to focus on implementing the agreement. The delay has heightened concerns that continued hostilities in Lebanon could derail efforts to stabilize the region following the recent US-Iran breakthrough.For now, the ceasefire appears to exist largely on paper, with both Israel and Hezbollah accusing each other of violations, while military operations continue on the ground. The latest attacks underline how the Lebanese front has quickly emerged as one of the biggest tests of the fragile peace process taking shape in the Middle East.