The Israeli army has launched 12 air strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, killing one person and wounding at least seven people in a new violation of a ceasefire deal in place since November 2024, Lebanese authorities said.
Lebanon's state news agency NNA said on Thursday that two Israeli attacks targeted the southern town of Bnaafoul in Sidon, and a third in Khirbet Dweir between the towns of Sarafand and Baysariyeh.
Israeli jets also bombed an area between the towns of Roumine and Houmine in the Nabatieh district, added the agency.
An Israeli drone also hit the town of Blida in the Marjayoun district as residents were harvesting olives, the outlet said.
NNA said that Israeli air strikes also targeted the districts of Sidon, Marjayoun, and Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, as well as Baalbek in the east.
The outlet said powerful explosions created massive shockwaves that echoed across southern Lebanon, sparking panic among residents as missiles fired by Israeli jets produced unprecedented flashes that illuminated the skies of nearby towns and were visible from long distances.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said that one person was killed and seven others injured in the attacks.
False security pretexts
The Israeli army claimed that the attacks targeted Hezbollah infrastructure used for storing weapons in the Beqaa and southern Lebanon regions.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, for his part, accused Israel of seeking to destroy productive infrastructure and obstruct economic recovery in Lebanon under false security pretexts.
Aoun said his country will gradually increase the number of army troops deployed south of the Litani River to 10,000 by the end of the year to ensure border security following Israel's withdrawal.
Speaking during a meeting with UNIFIL Commander Diodato Abagnara in Beirut, Aoun said the Lebanese army will work with UNIFIL to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in all its provisions, and will assume control of all positions currently held by UN forces as their gradual withdrawal proceeds until the end of 2027.
He said Lebanon is in contact with several countries to coordinate the post-withdrawal phase and ensure security and stability in southern Lebanon.
UN Resolution 1701, passed in 2006, calls for a complete halt to hostilities between the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel, as well as the establishment of a weapons-free zone between the Blue Line, a de facto border, and the Litani River in southern Lebanon, with the exception of the Lebanese army and UNIFIL.
Israel killed at least 4,000 Lebanese and wounded 17,000 others after it started to attack Lebanon shortly after the start of the genocide in Palestine’s Gaza.
Under the terms of the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 2025. However, it has so far only partially pulled out troops and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.
