Israel has conducted a series of air strikes targeting positions of Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group, in southern Lebanon. These actions followed evacuation warnings issued to residents in affected areas. There have been no immediate reports of casualties associated with the strikes.
Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November, which aimed to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has maintained a regular campaign of air strikes against alleged Hezbollah targets. The Lebanese Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, has urged the international community to intervene, characterizing Israeli actions as intimidation and a violation of ceasefire terms.
Footage shared on social media depicted significant smoke rising from the site of air strikes in the village of Mais al-Jabal. An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed that the operations were aimed at Hezbollah infrastructure and were a response to reported attempts by the group to re-establish a presence in the area, although no evidence was provided to substantiate this claim.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have indicated that they targeted Hezbollah weapons warehouses, arguing that their existence violated the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Evacuation orders were issued to residents in multiple villages, including Mais al-Jabal, Kfar Tibnit, and Debbin.
In a statement on social media, Prime Minister Salam questioned Israel’s commitment to the ceasefire mechanisms, calling on the international community to apply pressure on Israel to cease its military actions, withdraw from Lebanese territory, and release prisoners.
The ceasefire, facilitated by the United States and France, was agreed upon between Israel and Lebanon and explicitly stipulates that Lebanon must prevent Hezbollah and other armed groups from operating against Israel. Conversely, it also requires Israel to refrain from offensive military actions against targets within Lebanon. The Lebanese government has tasked its army with reinforcing a state monopoly on arms—a directive that Hezbollah has indicated it will not adhere to.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgedgjd648o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss