Middle East crisis live: Iran threatens ‘harsh response’ if Israel fails to cease attacks in Lebanon

Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. Iran’s military has threatened to respond to Israel after strikes in southern Lebanon killed four people, despite an agreement being reached between Tehran and Washington to end the Middle East war, including in Lebanon. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported Israeli warplanes targeting the southern town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa and a drone strike in Ansariyeh on the coast this morning. There was no immediate comment from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the reports. In an update yesterday, the IDF said it intercepted “several rockets” launched by Hezbollah towards its troops operating in southern Lebanon, and that it struck and destroyed the launcher. Hezbollah has not issued any recent statements claiming attacks on Israeli targets in southern Lebanon. The group’s leader, Naim Qassem, is due to make a televised address today, according to Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV. The Iranian military’s central command Khatam al-Anbiya said Israel must halt its acts of aggression in the south or face “a harsh response” from its forces. It accused Israel of violating the ceasefire in Lebanon “84 times” since the deal was announced. A man stands on the rubble of his destroyed house in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, following the announcement of an initial ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. …