Hezbollah Missile Launch Triggers Alarms in Northern Israel; Lebanese President Criticises Iran’s Role

Tel Aviv, June 2026 : Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border resurfaced on Friday after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that surface-to-air missiles were launched by Hezbollah toward Israeli Air Force aircraft operating near the frontier, despite recent efforts to secure a ceasefire between the two countries.

According to the IDF, the missiles targeted Israeli military aircraft, but the incident ended without any injuries or damage. The Israeli military said it had detected the launches and was monitoring the situation closely.

The missile fire triggered air raid sirens across northern Israel, including in the city of Kiryat Shmona and eight nearby communities close to the Lebanese border. Thousands of residents reportedly rushed to shelters as a precaution following the alerts.

The incident comes only days after Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire framework following trilateral negotiations held in Washington. The agreement had raised hopes of easing months of heightened tensions along the border, where repeated exchanges of fire have fueled concerns of a wider regional conflict.

Meanwhile, political tensions also intensified in Lebanon, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivering a strong rebuke to Iran over its involvement in Lebanese affairs.

In an interview with journalist Christiane Amanpour, released by the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun criticised Tehran for treating Lebanon as a bargaining tool in its broader negotiations with the United States and Israel.

His comments came after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that Iran’s acceptance of an April ceasefire arrangement was contingent upon a comprehensive halt to hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon.

Rejecting external influence, Aoun stressed that Lebanon’s future should be determined by its own people.

“This is not your country; it is our country,” he said, arguing that Lebanese citizens have paid a heavy price through years of conflict, displacement, and destruction resulting from regional power struggles.

The Lebanese President also took aim at Naim Qassem, who has opposed aspects of the ceasefire arrangement and warned of possible street protests against the government.

Aoun said the overwhelming majority of Lebanese people, regardless of sect or political affiliation, are weary of conflict and seek stability and peace.

“They are the Lebanese people, not Naim Qassem’s people,” he remarked, underscoring what he described as widespread public exhaustion after decades of instability.

The President reiterated that negotiations remain the only realistic path to ending hostilities between Lebanon and Israel. He argued that the issue of Hezbollah’s armed presence must ultimately be addressed through domestic political processes, including resolving long-standing disputes such as Israel’s withdrawal from contested Lebanese territory and broader security concerns.

The latest exchange highlights the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the continuing challenges facing efforts to reduce tensions in a region already grappling with multiple interconnected conflicts.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)