By Jan Porch l May 18, 2026
BEIRUT — Israeli airstrikes killed at least seven people across Lebanon on Sunday, including an Islamic Jihad commander and two children, as tensions escalated despite an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanese health authorities said the strikes targeted several towns in southern and eastern Lebanon, leaving multiple civilians wounded. The dead included residents of Tayr Felsay and Tayr Debba in southern Lebanon, while a separate missile strike near the eastern city of Baalbek reportedly killed Islamic Jihad commander Wael Abdel Halim and his 17-year-old daughter.
According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, emergency workers searched through rubble after the overnight strike on an apartment building on the outskirts of Baalbek. Additional Israeli airstrikes also reportedly struck Sohmor in the Bekaa Valley.
The latest attacks occurred despite a fragile truce that has technically remained in place since April 17 following months of intense fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. However, Israel has continued conducting air operations in southern Lebanon while issuing evacuation warnings for communities near the border and other strategic areas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the ongoing operations during a cabinet meeting, stating that Israeli forces were continuing efforts to secure border communities and counter evolving threats from Hezbollah, particularly the growing use of first-person-view (FPV) drones in attacks against Israeli troops.
The violence unfolded shortly after Israeli and Lebanese envoys concluded a third round of US-mediated negotiations in Washington aimed at extending the ceasefire and preventing another major escalation. Hezbollah, however, strongly criticized the talks, calling them ineffective and accusing Lebanese authorities of making concessions to Israel.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hussein Hajj Hassan described the negotiations as a “dead-end path,” insisting that neither the Lebanese government nor international mediators would succeed in disarming what the group calls the “resistance.” The militant group also rejected proposals for a US-facilitated security arrangement between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for fresh attacks targeting Israeli military positions in northern Israel and southern Lebanon over the weekend, signaling that the conflict remains highly volatile despite diplomatic efforts.
Israel’s military presence in southern Lebanon has remained a major source of tension since Israeli ground forces entered the area during the latest war. Israeli troops continue to occupy positions near the border, while Lebanese authorities say Israeli operations since the beginning of the conflict have killed more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including hundreds after the ceasefire officially began.
The ongoing clashes form part of the wider regional instability that has intensified across the Middle East following the 2026 conflict involving Iran, Israel, Gulf states, and the United States. Analysts warn that repeated cross-border strikes and stalled negotiations could further undermine efforts to stabilize the region.