Fatal Israeli raids kill four in Lebanon despite extended truce.

Fatal raids struck the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif on Saturday, claiming four lives according to state media reports. Israeli forces targeted a truck and a motorcycle in southern Lebanon's Nabatieh district, escalating violence despite a recently extended truce.

The Lebanese National News Agency confirmed these deaths shortly after the United States President Donald Trump announced a three-week ceasefire extension. Within hours, the Israeli military claimed to have neutralized six Hezbollah fighters near Bint Jbeil in an exchange of fire.

Al Jazeera correspondent Heidi Pett reported from Tyre that these attacks occurred north of the Litani River, an area Israel has unilaterally declared under its operational control. She described the constant rumble of explosions shaking residential blocks in cities like Khiam and Bint Jbeil throughout the afternoon.

Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health released grim statistics showing that attacks since March 2 have killed 2,496 people and wounded 7,719. These figures highlight the severe risk to communities living under the shadow of ongoing military aggression.

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad condemned the situation, stating the ceasefire is meaningless given Israel's continued hostile acts including assassinations and shelling. He argued that such aggression grants Hezbollah the right to retaliate against the escalating threat.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by claiming Israel maintains full freedom of action against any perceived threat. He accused Hezbollah of actively trying to sabotage the pause, though analysts suggest the arrangement never truly existed to begin with.

Security analyst Ali Rizk noted that the Washington-initiated process faces deep skepticism in Lebanon. He explained that many view the truce as an attempt to target Hezbollah rather than a genuine effort to secure real peace or calm.

The pattern of military activity suggests the ceasefire lacks substance from the outset, leaving civilians vulnerable to further bombardment. Experts warn that without addressing the underlying hostilities, the situation could deteriorate rapidly.

Israeli officials orchestrated a specific agreement to facilitate talks, with the primary objective being the dismantling of Hezbollah. Concurrently, Israel has issued stark warnings to residents: stay clear of zones bordering the Litani River, where its forces maintain a fortified military presence on Lebanese soil.

The landscape shifted dramatically following President Trump's ceasefire declaration. Prior to that announcement, data from the Israel Democracy Institute revealed a troubling reality: Jewish Israeli respondents overwhelmingly favored continuing the conflict, even if it meant straining relations with the United States.

Lebanese leadership firmly rejected the notion of their nation becoming a "bargaining chip" in potential US-Israel negotiations with Iran, as noted by Pett. Yet, regardless of diplomatic posturing, ordinary civilians continue to suffer the direct consequences of the war.

Huda Kamal Mansour, a mother from Aitaroun village in southern Lebanon, has spent the last 45 days living in an abandoned stadium in Beirut with her nine-year-old son and other displaced families. She fled her home in terror as Israeli forces bombarded her neighborhood.

"There was zero distance between us and the Israeli army when they attacked southern Lebanon," she told Al Jazeera, describing the chaos of explosions shaking the villages. "We were ordered to evacuate, only to be immediately surrounded by tanks."

She recalled the total destruction of her home, stating with grim clarity, "Israel didn't leave one house standing there.