Lebanese Hezbollah on Wednesday launched rockets at the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona, in violation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with the Iranian-backed terror group.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said the rocket launches, which were intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces, were “another blatant violation” of the truce.
“It should be remembered that Israel agreed to refrain from striking Hezbollah command centers in Beirut on the condition that Hezbollah would stop attacking Israeli towns and villages,” the envoy tweeted.
“Only the successful interception by the IDF prevented what could have been a deadly attack on civilians, including children,” he added.
Leiter shared video footage showing the interception as civilians run for shelter in Kiryat Shmona, a city of more than 20,000 residents located only two miles from the border with Lebanon.
“This is the reality Israelis continue to live with. This is Hezbollah’s idea of a ceasefire,” stated the ambassador.
Hezbollah fired rockets this morning at Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli city of more than 20,000 residents.
— Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter (@yechielleiter) June 3, 2026
Only the successful interception by the IDF prevented what could have been a deadly attack on civilians, including children.
In the video, you can see the interception… pic.twitter.com/4EwAd464dD
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he wanted the wars with Iran and Hezbollah to be treated as separate issues after Washington helped negotiate a partial ceasefire in Lebanon.
“We actually spoke with Hezbollah for the first time ever, we didn’t know they spoke,” said Trump. “We’re just going to see, but I’d like to separate it.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday said that Jerusalem held off on major strikes in Beirut at the request of the United States, but would attack the Lebanese capital if Hezbollah continued firing.
“Yesterday, the prime minister and I, together with the IDF, led a move to establish the equation that Dahiyeh in Beirut will be treated the same as Israel’s northern communities,” he said, referencing the Lebanese capital’s suburb where the Iranian-backed terror group maintains a large presence.
Katz claimed the Trump administration “endorsed the principle” set out by Israel and warned the Lebanese government and other parties that the IDF could respond in Beirut.
He said Jerusalem’s stance was reflected in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s phone call with Trump on Monday night.
Trump said earlier on Monday that he had spoken with Netanyahu, “asking him not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon.”
“He turned his troops around. Thank you Bibi,” the president said. “I also had a conversation with representatives of the leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them.”
“Let’s see how long that lasts,” Trump stated. “Hopefully it will be for eternity.”
Hezbollah’s attacks resumed some three hours after Trump’s announcement, with air-raid sirens sounding in the eastern Galilee town of Metula. The IDF said the alarms were triggered after a Hezbollah rocket struck near its soldiers operating in Southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported.
