As tit-for-tat strikes strain a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah less than a week since it went into effect, Israel’s defense minister on Tuesday threatened to directly target the Lebanese state should the agreement fall apart.

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian The United States is increasing pressure on Israel to prevent the collapse of its ceasefire agreement with Lebano

Israel hits Lebanon with its largest wave of airstrikes since agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah, as both sides accuse each other of violations.

Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, Lebanese authorities said Monday, the deadliest day since a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France came into effect last week.

Both sides have accused each other of violating the deal; Hezbollah fired into Israel for the first time since the truce took effect, and Israel responded with airstrikes.

The Israeli military says Hezbollah has fired into a disputed border zone, its first attack since a ceasefire took hold last week. It comes after Hezbollah accused Israel of violating the truce with airstrikes and shelling in Lebanon.

Israel has been fired upon again from its northern neighbour Lebanon for the first time since the beginning of the ceasefire with the Hezbollah militia, the Israeli military said on Monday. The target of the Hezbollah attack was the Har Dov area directly on the Lebanese border,

The flare-up in fighting highlights the ambiguities within the deal over how the cease-fire should be enforced.

Hezbollah has claimed the first strike against Israel since a US-backed cease-fire plan came into effect less than a week ago, prompting Israeli officials to vow a strong response in the most serious threat so far to the truce with Lebanon.