President Joseph Aoun on Friday condemned the latest Israeli strikes on eastern and southern Lebanon, saying the "killing and destruction constitutes a dangerous escalation".

"It effectively targets all ongoing efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and end the war," a statement from the presidency said, after Israeli attacks in the south and east killed at least 18 people.

Iran has informed Hezbollah that it will not continue the negotiations with the US without a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon, Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said.

Israel’s military struck targets throughout southern Lebanon overnight into Friday and Hezbollah reported intense fighting in the area, threatening the nascent agreement between Iran and the United States to end their war. Lebanese media reported at least 18 people killed in the strikes, and Israel said four soldiers died, vowing to make Hezbollah pay a heavy price.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he can restrain Israel from attacking Lebanon.

"They have a lot of respect for me, and they do as I say," he told an interviewer on a televised show.

Hezbollah vowed to defend Lebanon's territory and people against Israeli attacks on Friday, accusing its foe of violating a ceasefire as fighting flared.

"The Islamic Resistance will remain vigilant against any aggression. Its fighters will defend their land and people," the Iran-backed group said in a statement, refuting Israeli accusations that it had violated the truce, and instead insisting "the enemy has never complied with any ceasefire agreement".

The Israeli military said strikes were ongoing on Friday after four of its soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed in an attack on a tank in a village near the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. An explosive drone attack wounded another five, it added.

Israel then launched multiple strikes against "Hezbollah infrastructure sites" in Nabatiyeh and other areas, according to a military statement, which accused the militant group of "blatant ceasefire violations."

Israel's military said Friday its forces struck targets throughout southern and eastern Lebanon overnight into Friday as Hezbollah reported intense fighting in the area, threatening the nascent agreement between Iran and the United States to end their war.

Talks planned for Friday in Switzerland between Iran and the United States, which Vice President JD Vance had been scheduled to attend, found themselves postponed as the fighting intensified. Mediators worked to reschedule the meetings crucial for starting talks over a permanent end to the Iran war, with much of the attention focused on Lebanon, regional officials said.

Israel's military said Friday it had struck Hezbollah targets in eastern Lebanon after an attack killed four of its soldiers.

"A short time ago, in response to repeated ceasefire violations by Hezbollah, which continues to prepare and carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli soldiers, the army struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the Bekaa Valley," the military said in a statement.

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Friday that "all of Lebanon must burn" after Israel's military announced the deaths of four soldiers there.

"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.

France on Friday urged Israel to "respect" a deal signed between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war, the French foreign minister said after overnight Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.

"This agreement provides for a cessation of hostilities, the Israeli government must respect it, and the United States in particular must exert all the necessary pressure on the Israeli government to ensure that this is the case," Jean-Noel Barrot said on FranceInfo radio.

Israel said Friday four of its soldiers were killed in south Lebanon amid clashes with Hezbollah.

Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon "fell in combat" along with three other soldiers whose names will be released later, the military said in a statement.