Israel Conflict Persists in Lebanon and Gaza After US-Iran Deal
Despite a US-Iran agreement that includes a ceasefire in Lebanon, Israeli attacks continued in southern Lebanon and Gaza on 15-16 June 2026, with Israeli officials insisting troops will remain in occupied areas. The Israel conflict shows ongoing friction as the memorandum of understanding takes effect without halting all military activity.
US-Iran Agreement Details
US President Donald Trump announced that a memorandum of understanding with Iran has been all signed electronically, and the Strait of Hormuz will be completely open by Friday. [1] Iranian media reported the movement of tankers after the US ended its naval blockade. [1] US Vice President JD Vance said he expects UN nuclear inspectors to return to Iran and there will be no tolls in the Strait of Hormuz during the 60 days of talks with Tehran. [1] He also hoped that Israel would eventually join the agreement. [1] Iran will soon begin connecting its electricity grid to Qatar's, with studies in the final stages and the project entering the early phase of execution, Iran's Energy Minister said. [1] Abbas Aliabadi added that studies were also underway to link Iran's power grid with those of other Gulf countries. [1] Senior aides to US President Donald Trump were surprised by his Truth Social post that he had reached an agreement with Iran. [1] Trump's own top aides were caught off guard by his posts on the deal, which they thought was still being negotiated. [1] The report added that Trump inked the deal while speaking by phone with journalists, allies, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. [1]
Israeli Position on Occupations and Operations
Donald Trump announces US-Iran memorandum of understanding amid ongoing Israel conflict in Lebanon and Gaza. — Source: rappler Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials insist Israeli troops will continue to occupy southern Lebanon, Gaza and Syria despite the US-Iran agreement. [1] Netanyahu said his troops would remain in southern Lebanon as long as needed, saying Iran had demanded a withdrawal but that he stood firm. [2] He said the Israeli military would maintain freedom of action in Lebanon to thwart attacks by Hezbollah. [2] Defense Minister Israel Katz said the security zone in southern Lebanon would be cleared of local residents and all terrorist infrastructure, including houses. [2] The Israeli military has been razing villages in southern Lebanon for weeks, saying it is acting against Hezbollah militants embedded in civilian areas. [2] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that troops will continue to occupy southern Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria, maintaining freedom of action against Hezbollah despite the deal. [1] Israel is not a party to the US-Iran deal. [2]
Ongoing Attacks and Clashes in Lebanon
Lebanese media reports artillery shelling in the outskirts of Al-Rayhan in the Jezzine district. [1] An Israeli drone strike on a car in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Tebnit killed the driver. [2] Hezbollah said it fired drones and rockets at Israeli military vehicles that it said were trying to push deeper into southern Lebanon. [2] The Iran-aligned group also said it fired salvos of rockets and artillery shells against the Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, where the clashes were still ongoing. [2] Later on Monday, the Israeli military confirmed it intercepted rockets launched by Hezbollah toward an area where troops were operating in southern Lebanon. [2] It added that anti-tank missile and mortar shells were also fired, with no injuries reported. [2] Hezbollah said on Monday it had attacked an Israeli force trying to advance in southern Lebanon despite the US-Iran agreement. [4] Fighters from the group using rockets and drones blocked an Israeli force consisting of an excavator and two Merkava tanks that was advancing in the vicinity of Kfar Tebnit town near the southern city of Nabatieh. [4] In another statement, it added that the enemy army regrouped its forces in the vicinity of the crossing area by bringing in an armored force consisting of five Merkava tanks and four vehicles. [4] The mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted them with rocket barrages and artillery shells, and the clashes are still ongoing. [4] An Israeli drone targeted a car in the same area killing its driver, Lebanon's National News Agency reported. [4] UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said there had been fewer clashes on Monday. [4] UNIFIL observed a decrease in violence and exchanges of fire, recording 133 trajectories of projectiles and two airstrikes attributed to the IDF. [4] No trajectories from Hezbollah or non-State actors were reported during that time. [4] Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon eased significantly on Monday, June 15, but did not halt completely despite a US-Iran deal to end the wider conflict. [2]
Humanitarian Impact and Lebanese Reactions
Israeli forces destroy the sole water supply line to a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank. — Source: anadolu Lebanon has suffered the deadliest spillover of the conflict, with nearly 3,800 people killed and some 1.2 million people uprooted by an Israeli offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah. [2] A halt to the fighting there is key to the broader agreement, with Tehran having pushed for a Lebanon ceasefire to be included. [2] A Pakistan announcement said a deal struck early on Monday called for the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. [2] Sporadic violence persisted as Israeli troops remain stationed in territory they have occupied. [2] In Nabatieh, a devastated city in the south, Mohammed Daqdouq said he had returned on Monday morning to check on his home and stated that they will need a lifetime to rebuild. [2] Local authorities called on residents to hold off on returning home. [2] Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on the occasion of the Islamic New Year that Lebanon is going through a delicate and exceptional phase amid rapid regional developments, which calls for the highest levels of awareness and national responsibility. [1] Aoun stressed that the Lebanese are called today, more than ever, to strengthen their national unity, rally around state institutions, and consolidate national and humanitarian solidarity. [1] The Lebanese President expressed his hope that the recent developments would bring an end to the suffering of the Lebanese and the liberation of the occupied territories. [1] Aoun issued a carefully worded statement in response to the US-Iran deal, saying he was grateful to those who had worked towards de-escalation in Lebanon. [2] Aoun later spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi by phone and issued a second statement welcoming the deal. [2] Araqchi also separately spoke to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who hailed the agreement. [2]
Gaza Situation Post-Ceasefire
Israeli attacks continue across the Gaza Strip 245 days into the US-brokered ceasefire, with over 3,269 ceasefire violations by Israel recorded by authorities in the enclave. [5] According to Gaza's Government Media Office, Israel's assault on the territory since October's nominal ceasefire has resulted in over 992 killings and 3,138 others wounded. [5] On Monday, an Israeli bombing near a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp, in central Gaza, killed a Palestinian and injured several others. [5] Earlier in the day, a woman was reportedly killed after an air strike targeted the vicinity of the Abdul Rahman bin Awf Mosque, west of the Al-Zuwayda area in central Gaza Strip. [5] Another incident involved Israeli troops firing at a father and his child in Deir Al-Balah and subsequently arbitrarily detaining them. [5] After their release, the boy identified as Rayan Bahaa Abu al-Ajeen was pronounced dead at the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. [5] More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the genocide began in October 2023, with a further 8,000 people estimated to be buried under the rubble, and 3,000 reported missing. [5] Israeli forces have abducted scores of Palestinians in Gaza despite the ceasefire coming into effect in October, with at least 95 people having been detained during this period. [5] In reference to humanitarian relief, the office noted that just over 52,740 aid trucks had entered the enclave, only 36 percent of the 147,000 trucks stipulated in the truce deal. [5] Under the agreement, Israel was required to ease restrictions on aid deliveries and allow up to 600 trucks a day carrying food, fuel, medical supplies, shelter materials and commercial goods into Gaza. [5] Only 6,845 travellers were allowed to cross through out of the 19,600 stipulated in the agreement. [5] The Ministry of Health revealed that such curbs on the crossings have resulted in the death of about 1,500 patients with medical referrals who were supposed to leave the territory since early May 2024. [5] Hamas confirmed the move in a statement and called on mediators to ensure Israel complies with the full terms of the ceasefire. [5]
Regional and Diplomatic Context
Iran, whose Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps established Hezbollah in 1982, had insisted that a Lebanon ceasefire be included as part of any broader deal with the United States. [2] A Hezbollah official earlier told Reuters the group's position on the ceasefire was linked to Israel adhering to it. [2] The official said Iran delayed signing its memorandum with the US until June 19 partly to monitor whether Israel would keep up strikes on Lebanon. [2] Hezbollah welcomed the US-Iran deal, saying it had resulted in a comprehensive ceasefire including in Lebanon. [2] Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it rejected any situation in which Israel could keep up its strikes on Lebanon and warned Israel against continuing attacks. [2] An official source told AFP that Lebanon was not informed of the terms of the agreement or the time of the ceasefire. [4] Hezbollah drew the country into the Middle East war on 2 March with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes. [4] Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion that Lebanon says have killed more than 3,700 people and displaced more than one million others. [4] The Israeli newspaper Maariv quoted officials in the security establishment as saying that Beirut has become a no-go zone for the Israeli occupation army. [1] This is likely related to what's in the agreement between the US and Iran. [1]
What to watch next: Hezbollah's position on the ceasefire remains linked to Israel adhering to it, while UN nuclear inspectors are expected to return to Iran during the 60 days of talks and Iran plans to connect its electricity grid with Qatar's.
