Israeli strikes hit Lebanon cement sites

Israeli airstrikes have struck cement and construction sites across southern Lebanon, leaving craters, destroyed machinery and damaged infrastructure and heightening fears for the region’s fragile reconstruction efforts. State media and local officials reported heavy damage at a quarry and cement facility in Ansar after strikes that also hit a crusher between Ansar and Sinai; photos show a ruined cement complex. Residents described widespread terror and said the sites were civilian construction facilities.

Lebanese health authorities reported one death in Baalbek and seven injuries in the south from the latest round of strikes. Municipal surveys and the Council of the South estimate roughly 400 excavators and bulldozers—key to debris removal and rebuilding—have been destroyed or damaged across southern towns, with losses in some areas assessed in the tens of millions of dollars. Contractors warn that the destruction of workshops, machinery showrooms and highways has paralyzed municipal cleanup, road repairs and water‑sewer restoration, and that import controls and Lebanon’s financial crisis could delay replacement of equipment for months.

Israel says the targets were linked to Hezbollah’s infrastructure, with military spokespeople alleging quarries and factories were being used to produce cement and engineering equipment to rebuild “terrorist facilities.” Hezbollah and local officials reject characterising the sites as legitimate military targets; Hezbollah media called the strikes attacks on Lebanon’s economy and vowed retaliation “at the appropriate time.” The Lebanese prime minister has ordered an urgent complaint to the UN Security Council, accusing Israel of breaching ceasefire arrangements and UN Resolution 1701.

The strikes come amid a year‑long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has left large swathes of southern Lebanon damaged and displaced many civilians. Despite a November ceasefire that followed 13 months of cross‑border fighting, Israel has continued targeted air operations, citing ongoing threats from Hezbollah, while also maintaining positions at several points along the border. The latest attacks underscore mounting humanitarian and reconstruction challenges in southern Lebanon and the risk of renewed escalation as both sides trade accusations over the use of civilian infrastructure.