Beirut: Israeli fighter jets targeted locations in southern Lebanon late Monday, breaking a cease-fire agreement that had been in place for less than a week. The Israeli army announced that it was “currently striking targets in Lebanon,” with further details to follow.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes conducted two airstrikes near the town of Jbaa and between Houmine El-Fawqa and Deir al-Zahrani. The agency also noted that multiple areas in Iqlim al-Tuffah were targeted, and Israeli drones were spotted flying over Beirut, including its southern suburbs.
Israeli aircraft further struck the town of Arnon in the Nabatieh region, as confirmed by a Lebanese broadcaster. An Anadolu correspondent reported that several people were injured in an airstrike on a house in the town of Haris, located in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military stated that rockets launched toward northern Israel had activated air raid sirens in Lehavo
t HaBashan, southeast of Kiryat Shmona. Following this, the Israeli air force claimed to have “struck Hezbollah operatives, dozens of launchers, and infrastructure throughout Lebanon” and targeted a Hezbollah launcher in Berghoz shortly after two projectiles were fired toward Mount Dov.
Hezbollah had earlier announced a “preliminary defensive warning” by targeting the Israeli site of Ruwaisat Al-Alam in the Kfar Shuba hills, in response to Israel’s continued cease-fire violations. Israel Army Radio reported that Hezbollah fired two rockets toward the Har Dov area, landing in open fields without causing any injuries.
The escalating tension has led Israeli ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to call for a strong response against Hezbollah, signaling that “the era of containment is over.” The cease-fire agreement, which took effect last Wednesday, aimed to end over 14 months of conflict between the Israeli army and Hezbollah. Despite the agreement, Israel has breached the cease-fire multipl
e times, resulting in casualties on Lebanese soil.
The cease-fire terms require Israel to withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line de facto border in stages, while the Lebanese army is to deploy in southern Lebanon within 60 days. The US and France are responsible for overseeing the agreement’s implementation, yet the specifics of enforcement remain uncertain.
Lebanese health authorities report that since October 2023, nearly 4,000 people have been killed, over 16,500 injured, and more than 1 million displaced due to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.