The Israeli military has carried out a wave of airstrikes in southern Lebanon in what has been described as an attempt to prevent the resurgence of Hezbollah.
Israeli warplanes hit the towns of Kfar Dounine, Tayr Debba and Zawtar Al-Sharqiya on Thursday, about an hour after issuing warnings to residents. No deaths were reported at the time of publication.
The attacks came despite a ceasefire deal signed between Hezbollah and Israel nearly a year ago that ended 13 months of fighting.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hezbollah is to disarm, both parties are meant to stop firing on each other and Israel is meant to withdraw from Lebanese territory. Israel still provides five positions in Lebanon.
Before the airstrikes, an Israeli military spokesman published maps of the buildings it would target, telling residents to stay 500 meters away from them. The spokesman claimed the buildings were part of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.
Israel’s military bombs Leba on a daily basis, but Thursday’s strikes were unusual in their strength and preceded a warning exchange.
They came hours after Hezbollah sent an open letter to Lebanon’s leadership saying that while it is committed to the ceasefire, it has a “legitimate right” to resist the so-called “Israeli occupation”. The group has fired on Israel in the past since the signing of the December 2024 ceasefire.
Hezbollah says it stands behind the Lebanese army, but it has ruled out direct negotiations with Israel, a prospect recently floated by Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aun.
Israeli officials have accused Hezbollah in recent days of trying to rebuild Lebanon’s military capabilities after the Israeli war destroyed it.
“Israel will continue to defend all its borders, and we also continue to insist on full implementation in Lebanon and Israel,” government spokesman Shepsment said on Thursday.
Israel will not allow Hezbollah to recover its military capabilities.
The Lebanese government is committed to disarming Hezbollah and securing a state-owned arms monopoly. It is said to have disarmed about 85% of Hezbollah’s weapons in southern Lebanon and aims to completely disarm the area by the end of the year.
Israel is pressing the Lebanese government to quickly disarm, but says doing so risks fueling internal strife.