Israel escalated attacks in Lebanon on Saturday, killing at least seven people including a child in the coastal town of Saksakiyeh, as clashes with Hezbollah intensified despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for multiple areas but did not include Saksakiyeh, where a strike hit a building used for militant operations. Simultaneously, Hezbollah launched drones and rockets targeting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, wounding three soldiers.

Both sides blame each other for violating the truce that was meant to halt months of cross-border violence. The fighting has expanded beyond southern Lebanon, reaching Beirut's suburbs earlier this week for the first time since the ceasefire took effect. More than 2,700 people have died in Lebanon since March, with over a million displaced, while Israel reports 18 military deaths and two civilian casualties from Hezbollah's attacks.

The escalation threatens Washington's efforts to stabilize the region and preserve fragile peace talks with Iran, Hezbollah's main backer. Israeli forces still occupy southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire, and Hezbollah increasingly relies on explosive fiber-optic drones that are difficult to jam. With U.S. mediators set to return to Washington next week for new talks, the deteriorating security situation raises urgent questions about the truce's viability.