A series of airstrikes by Israeli forces across southern Lebanon have killed at least one person and injured nine others, escalating tensions and drawing condemnation from both the Lebanese government and the militant group Hezbollah as a serious violation of a year-long ceasefire.
The Israeli military said Thursday it had targeted a suspected Hezbollah military facility, accusing the group of refusing to disarm as agreed last year. Israel has been conducting airstrikes almost daily despite the ceasefire, and Hezbollah has said it will abide by the ceasefire agreement but will not disarm as long as Israel continues to routinely attack Lebanese territory.
“What Israel committed today in southern Lebanon amounts to a full-scale crime under international humanitarian law, which criminalizes the targeting, terrorist acts, and forced displacement of civilians,” Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in a statement, Al Jazeera reported.
“Almost a year has passed since the ceasefire took effect, and during this time Israel has spared no effort to demonstrate its rejection of any negotiated settlement between the two countries,” he added.
Thursday’s barrage came on the heels of another Israeli raid targeting the Tire area in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported that one Lebanese man was killed and eight others injured in the town of Tura when Israeli warplanes attacked a residential area. Another man was also injured in the attack on Tire Deva, also in the Tire area, NNA said.
Israeli fighter jets were also reported to have flown low over Beirut’s southern suburbs, an action seen by Israel as a form of intimidation.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said the Israeli attack posed a threat to civilians.
The United States has been pressuring Lebanon to do more to disarm Hezbollah, but has done little to deter Israel’s near-constant ceasefire violations.
UNIFIL said: “Any military action, especially one of this destructive scale, threatens the security of civilians and undermines progress towards a political and diplomatic solution.”
The attack came as Hezbollah steadfastly refuses to engage in political negotiations with Israel, saying such negotiations are “not in the national interest.” The statement followed increased pressure from the United States and Egypt for Lebanon to open direct talks with Israel, according to AFP news agency.
“Hezbollah reaffirms its legitimate right to defend itself against an enemy that imposes war on our country and does not stop its attacks,” Hezbollah said, noting that Israeli airstrikes continued despite a ceasefire agreed in November 2024.
Lebanon and Israel are technically at war, with communications limited to a UN-backed monitoring mechanism involving France and the United States. The two countries have been meeting separately under the auspices of the United Nations, but have not engaged in direct dialogue.