Israeli warplanes have conducted a series of airstrikes on targets in southern and eastern Lebanon, striking what it claims is infrastructure used by the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas. The military action comes just days before a pivotal Lebanese government meeting scheduled to discuss the disarmament of Hezbollah along the volatile border with Israel.
Targets Struck Ahead of Disarmament Briefing
The strikes occurred on Monday, nearly two hours after Israel's military Arabic language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, issued warnings on social media platform X. He stated the military would hit targets belonging to Hezbollah and Hamas in four villages: two in the eastern Bekaa Valley and two in southern Lebanon.
According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, one of the homes struck in the Bekaa Valley village of Manara belonged to Sharhabil al-Sayed, a Hamas military commander who was killed in an Israeli drone strike back in May 2024. The Lebanese Health Ministry also reported that a separate drone strike on a car in the southern village of Braikeh earlier on Monday wounded two people. The Israeli military stated this strike targeted two Hezbollah members.
The Long Road to Disarmament
These latest strikes are set against the backdrop of a protracted disarmament process. The Lebanese army began disarming Palestinian factions last year, and the government has stated its aim to clear the south Litani area—the region near the Israeli border—of Hezbollah's armed presence by the end of 2025.
A crucial meeting on this issue is set for Thursday, where army commander Gen. Rudolph Haikal is scheduled to brief the government. Monday's airstrikes, notably conducted in villages north of the Litani River and far from the border, underscore the ongoing tensions.
Legacy of a Devastating War
The push for disarmament follows a brutal 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, which began on 8 October 2023, a day after Hamas's attack on southern Israel. Hezbollah initiated rocket fire in solidarity with Hamas, leading to a widespread Israeli bombardment of Lebanon in September 2024 that severely weakened the group, followed by a ground invasion.
The conflict ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November 2024. However, Israel has continued near-daily airstrikes since then, primarily targeting Hezbollah members. The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights reports these strikes have also killed 127 civilians.
The disarmament process is a direct consequence of that war, which resulted in the deaths of much of Hezbollah's political and military leadership. As Lebanon prepares for a critical discussion on its security future, these latest Israeli strikes highlight the fragile and volatile state of the border region.
