Despite yet another ceasefire implemented on Friday, the death toll from Israeli attacks across Lebanon this weekend were substantially higher than normal, with around 100 killed over the course of three days, and the attacks show no sign of slowing.
The surge in killings has brought Lebanon to another stark milestone, with over 4,000 people now having been killed since Israel’s invasion in early March, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, which put the toll at over 4,000 killed and over 12,000 others wounded.
The strikes reported early Sunday included five people killed in Bekaa Valley, including a child, and two Palestinians killed near the city of Tyre. The IDF claimed to have not been aware of such strikes being conducted overnight, but officials reiterated that the troops have freedom of action.
Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
The reports of Friday evening’s ceasefire were enough that some displaced Lebanese tried to return to their homes in Tyre and Nabatieh Districts. The reports suggested the destruction was so substantial and the attacks have continued, so many of them turned around and left again.
US officials were pushing for another round of Israel-Lebanon talks, which will begin next week. Hezbollah has expressed opposition to such talks, arguing that they only serve Israeli interests. Indeed, since those talks have resulted in several ceasefires in recent weeks and none of them actually ceased any fire, it arguably isn’t serving anyone’s interests at all.
Israel is persistently going into the talks, which Hezbollah are excluded from, with the underlying assumption Hezbollah is to blame for whatever happens and that no matter what is agreed to, IDF troops will continue to occupy Lebanon and will continue to be free to attack Hezbollah. This has led to agreements, again without Hezbollah, that Hezbollah will stop resisting and in return Israel will keep attacking. Unsurprisingly, this has been consistently unsuccessful.
