Israel has launched air strikes on five towns in southern Lebanon, according to reports from Lebanese state media and the Israeli military. The attacks, which occurred shortly after Israel instructed residents to evacuate, targeted the towns of Mais al-Jabal, Debbin, Burj Qalawiya, Al-Shahabiya, and Kfar Tibnit. In Mais al-Jabal, a border area that suffered significantly during last year’s conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, one individual was reported injured. Witnesses near Debbin saw thick clouds of smoke rising high into the sky following the air strikes.
Despite a ceasefire that was established in November, which ended over a year of hostilities and two months of open conflict with Hezbollah, Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon have persisted. The Israeli military has maintained a presence in five strategically important locations in southern Lebanon, further compounding tensions in the region.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the air strikes and criticized the inaction of countries that had sponsored the ceasefire, arguing that their silence emboldens further Israeli aggression. He called for an immediate halt to what he termed “blatant violations” of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
In a statement, the Israeli military claimed that the strikes targeted weapons storage facilities associated with Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, asserting that it would continue to take action to eliminate any threats to Israel. Prior to the air strikes, the Israeli military had urged residents of the targeted towns to evacuate immediately due to the impending attacks focused on Hezbollah positions.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam voiced his strong opposition to Israel’s actions and called for “maximum pressure” to be put on Israel to cease its assaults. Salam’s remarks highlight ongoing concerns over the security situation along Lebanon’s southern border.
These recent air strikes followed a day after Hezbollah commemorated an anniversary of a significant Israeli attack that resulted in destruction and casualties among its ranks. Tensions between the two sides had escalated prior to that event, with continued cross-border fighting.
Under pressure from the United States, Lebanon’s government has tasked its military with creating a plan to disarm Hezbollah in border areas by the end of the year. Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi recently stated that the Lebanese army would fully disarm the group within three months. However, the Lebanese army, which reported that the strikes have amounted to over 4,500 violations of the ceasefire, warned that ongoing attacks could impede this disarmament process.
In light of the escalating tensions, Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah emphasized that the recent Israeli actions would not deter the Lebanese populace from defending their land. Furthermore, Hezbollah has voiced its disapproval of Beirut’s disarmament plan and is preparing to mark the anniversary of the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in late September 2024.
