Israel has initiated a significant escalation of military operations in Lebanon following a rocket attack from the neighboring country. The Israeli Defense Ministry announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a second wave of strikes targeting numerous Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, marking the most intense military activity since a ceasefire was brokered on November 27.
The early morning strikes on Saturday were described as a direct response to rocket fire aimed at northern Israel. Reports from Lebanon’s National News Agency revealed that the strikes resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including a girl, in the southern town of Touline. Furthermore, additional strikes in the city of Tyre claimed three more lives, with many others injured. Bilal Kachmar, a spokesman for the Tyre Disaster Management Unit, confirmed that two people were killed and two others injured when an Israeli attack hit a residential building in the Al-Raml neighborhood, a significant coastal area that has not been targeted since the ceasefire took effect. A security source indicated that a Hezbollah official may have been among the targets in Tyre, though it remains unconfirmed whether he was killed.
In a show of military might, Israel reported that six rockets were fired from Lebanon, with three intercepted during their flight towards northern Israel, triggering air raid sirens in local communities. Hezbollah has vehemently denied any involvement in these rocket attacks, stating that Israel’s accusations serve merely as pretexts for ongoing assaults against Lebanon. In response, Hezbollah reaffirmed its commitment to standing alongside the Lebanese state in confrontations against what it deems an escalation from Israel.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed deep concern over the renewed military actions along the southern border, warning that such hostilities threaten to drag Lebanon into a new conflict. Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi echoed these sentiments, calling for international pressure on Israel to halt its aggressive maneuvers and to contain the intense situation along the border.
Israel’s defense leadership maintains that the Lebanese government bears responsibility for any attacks that originate from its soil, regardless of the source. Defense Minister Katz emphasized the need to prevent any aggressive actions from Lebanon against Israeli communities, particularly those in the Galilee region, where many residents had been evacuated due to hostilities initiated by Hezbollah in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The United Nations peacekeeping forces stationed in southern Lebanon have voiced alarm regarding the potential for further violence in light of the recent rocket fire. Meanwhile, France, which played a role in establishing the recent ceasefire, condemned the rocket attacks and urged Israel to exercise restraint. Similarly, Jordan has called for immediate international action to address what it characterizes as Israeli aggression towards Lebanon.
Hezbollah, a dominant military and political force in parts of Lebanon, has been significantly weakened by previous conflicts with Israel, yet it remains a potent presence, especially in southern and eastern Lebanon. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah was expected to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River and dismantle military infrastructure in the south. However, the Israeli military has repeatedly conducted airstrikes during the ceasefire, targeting alleged Hezbollah military sites, while the Lebanese army reported dismantling three improvised rocket batteries in an area north of the Litani on the same day.
The situation was further complicated by Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which has seen a resumption of air strikes that disrupted a recent period of relative calm. Just days before the escalation in Lebanon, Israeli forces returned to Gaza, impacting civilian lives significantly, with multiple casualties reported following Israeli strikes in the region.
Both the Israeli government and military assert that their actions are crucial for pressuring Hamas to release hostages being held in Gaza, even as Hamas accuses Israel of endangering their lives through resumed bombardments. The continued violence has led to calls for renewed ceasefires from families of the hostages, highlighting the precarious nature of the ongoing conflict and the deepening humanitarian crisis it has precipitated.
