The Israeli military has carried out a wave of airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting the towns of Kfar Dounine, Tayr Debba and Zawtar al-Sharqiya on Thursday. The strikes, which were preceded by evacuation warnings, were described by Israel as an effort to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. No casualties were reported at the time of publication.
The attacks come despite a ceasefire agreement signed nearly a year ago between Israel and Hezbollah, which ended 13 months of fighting. Under the terms of the deal, Hezbollah was to disarm, both sides were to cease hostilities, and Israel was to withdraw from Lebanese territory. However, Israel still holds five positions in Lebanon.
An Israeli military spokesperson published maps of targeted buildings, claiming they were part of Hezbollah's military infrastructure, and instructed residents to move at least 500 metres away. While Israel conducts near-daily strikes in Lebanon, Thursday's operation was notable for its intensity and the prior evacuation warning.
The strikes followed an open letter from Hezbollah to Lebanon's leadership, reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire but asserting its 'legitimate right' to resist what it called the 'Israeli occupation'. Hezbollah has fired at Israel only once since the ceasefire was signed in December 2024. The group also condemned direct negotiations with Israel, a prospect recently raised by Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun.
Israeli officials have accused Hezbollah of attempting to rebuild its military capabilities. Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian stated, 'Israel will continue to defend all of its borders, and we continue also to insist on the full enforcement of the ceasefire agreement.' Lebanon's government has committed to disarming Hezbollah, claiming to have dismantled about 85% of its weapons caches in southern Lebanon, with a goal of complete disarmament by year's end. Israel has urged faster action, but Lebanon has warned that doing so could risk internal strife.
