BEIRUT, Lebanon, June 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Fighting flared in Lebanon on Friday, with authorities reporting 21 killed in Israeli airstrikes and Israel announcing the deaths of four of its soldiers.

The violence is the worst since the sealing of a US-Iran deal to halt the wider Middle East war, which was supposed to also pause fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The deaths of the soldiers drew a furious reaction in Israel, with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir saying "Lebanon must burn".

"Intensive" strikes across Lebanon's south killed 18 people and wounded 33, the country's health ministry said, while in the eastern Baalbek area another three people were killed, with six wounded.

Video from AFPTV showed hundreds of cars packing roads in the city of Saida as people attempted to flee southern areas.

Israel's military said it hit scores of targets overnight and into the morning.

"The IDF (military) struck more than 80 command centres, terrorists, launch positions, and additional terrorist infrastructure sites in the area of Nabatieh and additional areas in southern Lebanon," an army statement said.

"During the strikes, dozens of Hezbollah terrorists operating in the command centres were eliminated."

Iran-backed Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it was attacking Israeli forces around the southern town of Nabatieh.

It vowed to defend Lebanon's territory and people, accusing Israel of violating a ceasefire and denying it had itself broken the truce.

The group said "the enemy has never complied with any ceasefire agreement".

A truce meant to have taken effect in April did little to stop attacks from either side.

Israeli strikes also targeted the Baalbek region in the east of Lebanon, which had been largely spared since the start of the conflict on March 2.

Israel said its strikes in Baalbek and the Bekaa Valley were in response to "repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah".

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned Israel's latest attacks, saying they "constitute a dangerous escalation" and undermined "ongoing efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and end the war".

- 'Mothers must weep' -

Earlier the Israeli military had announced that Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon had "fallen in combat" along with three other soldiers whom it did not immediately identify.

Israeli military correspondents reported the four were killed when a tank was hit by "a suspected drone or anti-tank missile".

In a separate statement the military also reported that a reserve officer was severely wounded by a drone attack, with four other soldiers lightly injured.

The soldiers' deaths prompted a strong response from Israeli politicians.

"With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not up for bargaining. All of Lebanon must burn," Ben Gvir said in a statement.

"For every tear shed by an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep," he added.

In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of wanting "permanent war".

"This is not a rant by a random genocidal lunatic. It's a public post by the national security minister of the Israeli regime," he said in a post on X.

US officials including President Donald Trump have expressed frustration at Israel's campaign in Lebanon, which it has pursued in spite of Washington's negotiations with Tehran.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israeli troops will stay in Lebanon "as long as necessary", vowing to make Hezbollah pay a "heavy price" for its attacks.

- 'Heads held high' -

Hassan Tarhini, 57, forced to flee his home in the Nabatieh area with his wife and children after the latest fighting, told AFP that "we have no problem being displaced once, twice, or even 10 times, so long as we return with our heads held high".

"Even if Israel were to keep bombing from now until Judgement Day, we would remain committed to the same conviction and would not back down, even if thousands of martyrs fall."

Hezbollah said early Friday that it had targeted Israeli troops "with a barrage of rockets and mortar shells" near the Ali al-Taher hills, a strategic feature overlooking Nabatieh.

It also reported attacking Israeli tanks, saying forces "consisting of an armoured platoon and an infantry platoon (tried) to infiltrate towards the northern side of the Ali al-Taher hills".

"The clashes are still ongoing," it said.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in early March by attacking Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader at the start of the US-Israeli military campaign.

Israel retaliated with broad strikes across Lebanon and a ground invasion in the south, which borders Israel and has long been under Hezbollah's sway.