Israel Launches Fresh Bombing Operations Over Lebanon Despite Trump’s Censure

Wed Jun 17 2026 21:51:35 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Israeli forces carried out drone and jet strikes in southern Lebanon amid rising tensions, even as U.S. President Trump criticised Netanyahu’s actions.

Israel conducted new drone and jet attacks along the Lebanese border, targeting Hezbollah strongholds, even as President Donald Trump condemned the nation’s military posture. The strikes came after a broader US‑Iran agreement aimed at easing sanctions sparked renewed conflict. Netanyahu warned that Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon “as long as necessary,” while Hezbollah’s commander framed the treaty as a strategic victory. Casualty figures show more than 3,800 deaths in Lebanon, with both sides suffering losses. The ongoing clashes underscore the fragile security dynamics in the region.

Israel launches fresh strikes on Lebanon despite Trump criticism

Israeli forces carried out a series of drone and jet strikes across the southern border of Lebanon, state media reported, in a move that drew sharp rebuke from U.S. President Donald Trump. The attacks hit the towns of Mansouri and Aaziyyeh, while jets targeted Nabatieh al‑Fawqa and Kfar Tebnit, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Five Israeli soldiers reported injuries in a separate strike that Israel said was launched by the Iran‑backed outfit Hezbollah.

Trump spent the G7 summit in France voicing his frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that Israel had been fighting Hezbollah “for too long and too many people are being killed.” He urged the Israeli leader “to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.”

Netanyahu, however, countered that Israeli troops would stay “for as long as necessary,” indicating a willingness to maintain a presence amid the uneasy cease‑fire talks. Hezbollah’s commander Naim Qassem praised the US‑Iran agreement as a “great victory” and called on Lebanon to benefit from the situation, while demanding, among other points, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territory.

The clashes come after Lebanon became drawn into the broader conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran when Hezbollah launched rockets in March 2026 following an Israeli strike that over‑took Iran’s supreme leader. Israel’s bombing campaign pushed the Israel‑Lebanon border closer to a full‐scale invasion of the south, amplifying the already dire situation. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, more than 3,800 people have died, a figure that lumps combatants and civilians together, while Israeli authorities report 30 soldiers and four civilians killed across both sides.

With the US‑Iran memorandum of understanding still awaiting official release, the global community watches closely as the potential easing of sanctions and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could alter the geopolitical landscape. Trump stated that the deal would make Iran “never have a nuclear weapon” and that the Gulf’s vital waterway would reopen and be “toll‑free.” Nonetheless, Israeli drones continue to ignite tensions on the Lebanese frontier.

Image caption: Smoke rises from a border area in southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike.