Israel strikes Hezbollah sites in Lebanon
Beirut accuses Israel of breaching cease-fire as residents flee villages
Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon, saying the attacks aim to halt the group’s attempts to rebuild its infrastructure. Smoke and explosions were reported over Dibbene, Kfar Tebnit, Marjayoun and Mais al‑Jabal, with night‑time footage from Borj Qalaouiye showing a blast that lit up the sky. Ambulances and firefighters responded to the scene in Kfar Tebnit, where residents pledged resilience despite the bombardment.
The Israeli military confirmed “unspecified attacks” on Hezbollah positions, warning residents of five villages to evacuate. Lebanon’s state news agency NNA corroborated the strikes and noted material damage, though no immediate casualty reports emerged.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah dismissed Israel’s accusations, claiming Lebanon needs no further proof of “Israel’s terrorism” and rejecting any diplomatic guarantees to curb the conflict. The Lebanese prime minister, Nawaf Salam, appealed to the international community—especially the nations that brokered the November cease‑fire—to pressure Israel to honor its cease‑fire obligations, withdraw from Lebanese territory and release prisoners.
The cease‑fire, mediated by the United States and France, was signed between the governments of Israel and Lebanon, not Hezbollah. It obliges Lebanon to prevent armed groups from attacking Israel and requires Israel to refrain from offensive operations against any Lebanese targets, civilian or military. Despite the agreement, Israel has continued daily strikes on sites it alleges are linked to Hezbollah, describing them as weapons warehouses and other infrastructure that violate the understandings between the two states.
Lebanon’s government has tasked its army with establishing a state monopoly on arms, a move Hezbollah says it will ignore. The prime minister’s call for “maximum pressure” on Israel underscores the growing diplomatic tension as both sides accuse the other of breaching the cease‑fire, while the civilian population enduring repeated bombardments and evacuation orders.
