Hezbollah fires rockets at IDF in Lebanon as ceasefire collapses
Last updated: 15:01 UTC, May 03 2026 | Started: 2026-05-03 05:16 | 3 update(s) | Avg confidence: 84/100
The story so far: The 2026 Lebanon war is a continuation of Israel-Hezbollah hostilities that resumed in March 2026, parallel to the broader US-Israel military campaign against Iran launched on February 28, 2026 (Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion). Israel has deployed five army divisions into southern Lebanon, capturing dozens of towns, while Hezbollah continues to fire rockets and deploy fibre-optic-guided drones against IDF forces. A November 2024 ceasefire had paused the prior round of fighting, but Israel continued near-daily strikes, and Hezbollah rebuilt its military capacity before full-scale hostilities resumed.
Latest Updates
2026-05-03 15:01 — Hezbollah fires rockets at IDF in Lebanon as ceasefire collapses
Hezbollah fired several rockets and explosive drones at IDF troops stationed in southern Lebanon on May 3; the IDF said the projectiles exploded near forces but caused no injuries, the Israeli military stated.
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2026-05-03 06:16 — Israel strikes southern Lebanon 41 dead as ceasefire collapses
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 41 people across southern Lebanon in the 24 hours ending May 2, Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported via the National News Agency, with strikes hitting Shoukine in Nabatieh district, Kfar Dajjal, Lwaizeh, and the city of Nabatieh near al-Quds roundabout, as well as Siddiqine in Tyre district (Al Jazeera/AP, May 2, 2026).
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2026-05-03 05:16 — Israel-US war on Iran stalls in ceasefire deadlock, IRGC warns of resumption
Israel and the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, codenamed Operation Roaring Lion (Israel) and Operation Epic Fury (US), killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior military and government officials in the opening salvo, according to multiple wire agencies and the UK House of Commons Library.
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What We Know
- Israel and the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, codenamed Operation Roaring Lion (Israel) and Operation Epic Fury (US), killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior military and government officials in the opening salvo, according to multiple wire agencies and the UK House of Commons Library.
- Iran retaliated with hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones against Israel, US military bases, and Gulf Arab states, and closed the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint for 20% of global oil — reducing commercial traffic to roughly 5% of pre-war levels, according to the UK House of Commons Library briefing on the Strait.
- A conditional ceasefire was announced on April 8, brokered by Pakistan, but the Strait remains effectively closed; the US responded on April 13 by launching a naval counter-blockade on all ships seeking to reach Iranian ports, according to the UK Parliament research briefing.
- As of May 2–3, Trump declared he is 'not satisfied' with Iran's latest negotiating proposal, and Al Jazeera reported the IRGC warned the conflict 'may resume' and that it is 'fully prepared,' while Trump has threatened extensive infrastructure strikes if the strait does not reopen.
- Simultaneously, Israel has continued strikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah, and a separate Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended to mid-May is suffering near-daily violations by both sides, with 73 people killed and 163 injured in Lebanon in the two days up to April 30, according to Lebanon's health ministry cited by CBS News.
- Israeli airstrikes killed at least 41 people across southern Lebanon in the 24 hours ending May 2, Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported via the National News Agency, with strikes hitting Shoukine in Nabatieh district, Kfar Dajjal, Lwaizeh, and the city of Nabatieh near al-Quds roundabout, as well as Siddiqine in Tyre district (Al Jazeera/AP, May 2, 2026).
- Hezbollah responded with artillery strikes on IDF positions near the Moussa Abbas complex in Bint Jbeil and the village of Hula, and drone attacks in Biyyada; attack drones also hit a Humvee truck in Taybeh and targeted a Merkava tank in Rishaf, killing three Israeli soldiers, according to Hezbollah's statement and Al Jazeera reporting.
- Hezbollah has increasingly deployed fibre-optic cable-guided drones that are resistant to electronic jamming; Al Jazeera reported that senior IDF officers were telling Israeli media outlets they were 'frustrated' and that 'the ceasefire was causing harm for Israeli soldiers, who are seeing daily injuries now from these first-person view fibre-optic cable drones.'
- The US announced a three-week extension of the April 16 ceasefire on April 23, but UN and media reports confirm military activity — airstrikes, direct combat, and demolitions — has continued at lower intensity since; Hezbollah was not a formal signatory to the agreement (UN Security Council Report, May 2026 forecast).
- Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz on April 27 threatened to 'burn all of Lebanon', stating that Hezbollah defiance would bring 'catastrophic consequences', while Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem demanded Lebanon end direct peace talks with Israel and reverse its decision 'criminalising the resistance' (Al Jazeera, April 27, 2026).
- Hezbollah fired several rockets and explosive drones at IDF troops stationed in southern Lebanon on May 3; the IDF said the projectiles exploded near forces but caused no injuries, the Israeli military stated.
- Israel's military issued new evacuation warnings on May 3 for villages in southern Lebanon beyond the area it currently occupies, despite a US-brokered truce meant to halt fighting with Hezbollah, according to AFP.
- Israeli airstrikes hit the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah in southern Lebanon, with AFP photographs showing smoke rising from the site on May 3.
- Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported that Israeli strikes in the previous 24-hour period killed at least 41 people, raising the total death toll since March 2 to 2,659, with 8,183 injured, according to Al Jazeera citing Lebanese health authorities.
- US President Donald Trump said on May 2 he had not reviewed Iran's latest peace proposal but was unlikely to accept it because Iran had 'not yet paid a big enough price,' while publicly musing about restarting airstrikes on Iran, according to the Times of Israel.
Still Unclear
- Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif via social media, as reported by CNN and Wikipedia: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the April 8 ceasefire covers Lebanon as well as Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, backed by Trump and Vance, per CNN: The ceasefire does not include Lebanon; Israel retains the right to continue operations there.
- Iranian government statement, reported by Bloomberg: Iran's Iranian government put total direct and indirect damage from the airstrikes at around $270 billion.
IMF, as cited by Bloomberg: The IMF estimates Iran's entire 2026 GDP at approximately $300 billion, providing a scale reference but not confirming the damage figure.
- President Trump, in letters to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate leadership, per CBS News: Trump told congressional leaders that hostilities with Iran have 'terminated' and there has been no exchange of fire since April 7.
Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, per Al Jazeera: Iran's Foreign Ministry said Washington 'violated the ceasefire from the beginning,' citing the US naval blockade of Hormuz and the capture of an Iranian container ship as breaches.
- (Unverified — single source | state media-affiliated outlet | not independently corroborated) Al-Mayadeen reports that Iranian missiles struck a nuclear energy research facility in Tel Aviv. [Al-Mayadeen]
- (Unverified — anonymous source | Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari denied Qatar joined any campaign targeting Iran) Western diplomats and sources told The Jerusalem Post that Qatar struck Iran after Iran attempted to strike Doha's airport and shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers. [The Jerusalem Post citing unnamed western diplomats; Channel 12]
- (Unverified — single source | self-reported by a party to the conflict | not independently verified) Iran's government sustained around $270 billion in direct and indirect damage from airstrikes — nearly equivalent to the IMF's estimate of Iran's entire 2026 GDP. [Iranian government statement via Bloomberg]
- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) official statement: Israel says its attacks target Hezbollah military infrastructure and combatants; the IDF stated it only hit 'terror targets' during Operation Eternal Darkness on April 8, claiming 250 militants killed.
Lebanon Health Ministry / UN experts / Human Rights Watch / Amnesty International: Lebanon's government, UN experts, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International say many of those killed are civilians and the strikes are indiscriminate; UN experts described the April 8 attacks as 'indiscriminate', and Lebanon called the day a 'massacre.'
- IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee; US government; Israeli PM Netanyahu: Israel and the United States maintain that the April 7 Iran war ceasefire does not include Lebanon, and that continued operations against Hezbollah are legitimate; Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated on record: 'The battle in Lebanon continues and the ceasefire does not include Lebanon.'
Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif; Iranian government; French government; Egypt: Pakistan, Iran, France, Egypt, and Hezbollah insist the ceasefire covered all fronts including Lebanon; Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif said the deal 'includes all fronts of the war, including Lebanon.'
- (Unverified — anonymous source) CBS News reported that diplomats said President Trump had initially included Lebanon in the Iran ceasefire, and that even Israel had initially agreed, but the US changed its position after a phone call between Trump and Netanyahu. [CBS News (citing unnamed diplomats)]
- (Unverified — single source, not independently corroborated) According to the Israeli paper Yedioth Ahronoth, the IDF was preparing a plan to continue ground operations and occupation in Lebanon even after the Iran war ends. [Yedioth Ahronoth]
- Israel Defense Forces: Israel says its strikes in Lebanon target Hezbollah military infrastructure and personnel.
Al Jazeera, citing Lebanon's Ministry of Health: Many of the dead in Lebanon were civilians, not Hezbollah fighters.
- Pakistan Foreign Ministry: Pakistan asserted that the terms of the US-Iran truce included Lebanon, meaning Israeli operations there violate the ceasefire framework.
Israeli government and US officials, per Wikipedia citing multiple sources: Both Tel Aviv and Washington denied that the Iran war ceasefire terms covered Lebanon.
- (Unverified — single source) The IDF is preparing a plan to continue ground operations and occupation in Lebanon even after the Iran war ends. [Yedioth Ahronoth (Israeli newspaper)]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Commercial vessel traffic through Strait of Hormuz (vs pre-war baseline of ~3,000 ships/month) | ~5% of pre-war levels | UK House of Commons Library research briefing on the Strait of Hormuz |
| Israeli civilian and military casualties from Iranian missile strikes (since Feb 28) | 26 killed, 7,791 wounded | Al Jazeera death toll tracker |
| Iranian deaths from US-Israeli strikes (since Feb 28) | At least 3,375 killed, 26,500+ injured | Iran Ministry of Health, as reported by Al Jazeera |
| Lebanese deaths since Israel renewed widespread attacks (March 2) | 2,509 killed | Lebanon Ministry of Health, via Al Jazeera tracker |
| Iranian missiles fired at Israel over 40 days (Feb 28–April 8 ceasefire) | 650 total missile attacks | Wikipedia / 2026 Iranian strikes on Israel article |
| IEA emergency oil reserve release to offset price shock | 400 million barrels | UK House of Commons Library |
| Iranian ships turned back by US blockade of Strait of Hormuz (in 20 days) | 48 ships | US Central Command (CENTCOM), per CBS News |
| Estimated Iranian inflation forecast amid conflict | Above 70% | IMF, via Bloomberg |
| Total deaths in Lebanon since the war began March 2, 2026 | 2,659 killed, 8,183 injured | Lebanon Ministry of Health via Al Jazeera/AP, May 2, 2026 |
| Deaths in Lebanon in a single 24-hour period ending May 2 | 41 killed | Lebanon Ministry of Health via National News Agency (NNA) |
| IDF soldiers killed in Lebanon since the war began (as of April 26) | 16 soldiers killed | Israeli government figures cited by UN Security Council Report |
| Lebanese civilians and fighters displaced since March 2 | Over 1 million internally displaced | UNHCR update cited by UN Security Council Report, April 27, 2026 |
| People in Lebanon facing acute food insecurity | Approximately 1.24 million | Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), April 29, 2026 |
| Deaths on 'Black Wednesday' (April 8 Israeli strikes) | 357 killed | Lebanon Health Ministry; confirmed by Al Jazeera and AP |
| Total killed in Lebanon since Israel renewed widespread attacks on March 2, 2026 | 2,659 dead, 8,183 injured | Lebanon Ministry of Health, via Al Jazeera |
| Killed in Lebanon in single 24-hour period ending May 2 | 41 | Lebanon Ministry of Health, via Al Jazeera |
| IDF divisions deployed in southern Lebanon | 5 divisions (36th, 91st, 98th, 146th, 162nd) | Wikipedia citing Israeli military sources |
| Displaced persons in Lebanon since outbreak of war | More than 1 million registered displaced | Al Jazeera |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is leading Iran now after Khamenei was killed?
Following Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's death in the Israeli airstrike on February 28, Iran appointed his son as successor, according to the UK House of Commons Library briefing. President Trump has said he distrusts Iran's new leader, and BBC Monitoring reported the new leader's absence from public view has weakened efforts to consolidate power.
Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed in May 2026?
The Strait remains effectively closed as of early May 2026. Commercial traffic has fallen to roughly 5% of pre-war levels. The US launched a naval counter-blockade on April 13 targeting ships heading to Iranian ports, while Iran has blocked most foreign vessels and selectively charged tolls, per the UK Parliament research briefing.
What happens if ceasefire talks between the US and Iran collapse?
Trump has repeatedly threatened to resume extensive strikes on Iranian infrastructure if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reach a deal. The IRGC warned on May 2 it is 'fully prepared' for the conflict to resume. Analysts note a renewed offensive could re-close airspace across the Middle East, spike global oil prices further, and draw in additional regional actors.
Is there a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon right now?
A US-brokered ceasefire took effect April 16 and was extended by three weeks on April 23 by President Trump. However, both Israel and Hezbollah have continued fighting through it. The Lebanese army reported ceasefire violations by Israeli forces from the first morning, and Hezbollah was not a formal signatory to the agreement.
How many people have been killed in the 2026 Israel-Lebanon war?
Lebanon's Health Ministry reports 2,659 people killed and 8,183 injured in Lebanon since the war began on March 2, 2026. Israel reports 16 IDF soldiers killed and two Israeli civilians killed by Hezbollah rocket fire as of April 26, according to figures cited by the UN Security Council.
What happens next if the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire collapses?
IDF commanders have told Israeli media they are ready to broaden operations if given political authorisation. Israeli Defence Minister Katz has threatened to 'burn all of Lebanon.' A full collapse could derail the broader US-Iran diplomatic process, as Iran has tied its own ceasefire compliance partly to the Lebanon front, and could trigger a severe humanitarian crisis for over one million displaced Lebanese.
Is there a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon?
A 10-day ceasefire brokered in Washington began April 17 and was extended by Trump for three more weeks. However, Al Jazeera's Beirut correspondent described it as 'a diplomatic construct' that exists in name only, with daily Israeli strikes and Hezbollah attacks continuing in the south.
How many people have been killed in Lebanon since the 2026 fighting began?
Lebanon's Ministry of Health reports 2,659 people killed and 8,183 injured since Israel renewed large-scale attacks on March 2, 2026. More than one million people in Lebanon have been registered as displaced since the start of the broader war.
What is the connection between the Lebanon fighting and the broader Iran war?
Hezbollah, Iran's primary proxy in Lebanon, resumed attacks alongside Iran's war with the US and Israel that began February 28, 2026. Iran has conditioned any ceasefire deal on a halt to Israeli operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, directly linking the two fronts. The US and Israel deny this linkage.
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