By Al Arabiya English / Agencies | AALIMI NATION
BEIRUT, August 31, 2026: Israeli artillery shelling targeted several towns in southern Lebanon from Sunday night into Monday morning, despite a framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel aimed at reducing hostilities.
According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, Israeli forces struck the towns of Houla, Al-Mansouri and Bayt al-Sayyad during the overnight bombardment.
The latest attacks come despite a framework agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel on June 26 following five rounds of negotiations mediated by the United States.
Under the agreement, the two sides committed to a process that includes the disarmament of Hezbollah, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese Army. The implementation was expected to begin in designated “pilot areas.”
A new round of negotiations is expected in September, although no official date has yet been announced.
The conflict expanded into Lebanon on March 2 after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel, an action described as a response to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the opening day of U.S. and Israeli attacks.
Lebanese authorities say that more than 4,300 people have been killed as a result of Israeli airstrikes and ground operations since the conflict escalated.
Violence had eased following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran in mid-June, which was followed by the Washington-backed framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel.
However, Israeli military operations against towns in southern Lebanon have intensified again in recent weeks, particularly in the Nabatieh region, where the strategically significant Ali al-Taher hills are located.
The renewed shelling raises fresh concerns about the durability of the agreement and the prospects for preventing another major escalation along the Israel-Lebanon border.
