Israel has escalated daily attacks in Lebanon, ignoring a one-year ceasefire agreement while claiming to be targeting Hezbollah.
Two brothers were killed in an Israeli vehicle airstrike between the southeastern Lebanese towns of Ain Ata and Sheba’a, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) said. This is the latest serious violation of a year-old ceasefire.
In another attack on Saturday, an Israeli drone struck a car near Salah Ghandour hospital in the southern town of Bint Jubeir, injuring seven people, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. Two missiles hit a vehicle in a densely populated area.
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Another Israeli drone attack, the third of the day, later hit a car in the Barashit area, NNA said. Photos shared by the ministry showed smoke rising above burning debris on the road after the attack, which the ministry said killed one person and injured four others, NNA said.
The Israeli military claimed, without providing evidence, that the attack was aimed at Hezbollah targets.
Despite the ceasefire in November 2024, Israel continues to carry out near-daily attacks on its northern neighbor while maintaining troops in its southern periphery.
Hezbollah maintains that it remains in compliance with the cease-fire agreement, but says it will not disarm while Israel continues to occupy and attack Lebanese territory.
The European Union condemned recent Israeli airstrikes in a strong statement on Saturday and called for observance of an immediate ceasefire.
“The EU calls on Israel to cease all actions that violate resolution 1701 and the cease-fire agreement reached a year ago in November 2024,” EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anuar El-Anouni said. He called on Hezbollah and other Lebanese groups to “refrain from any measures or responses that could further inflame the situation.”
The Lebanese army accused Israel of “undermining the stability of Lebanon” and trying to prevent the full deployment of the Lebanese army in accordance with the ceasefire.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the latest series of attacks as “clear violations” of international law, while Iran denounced the attacks as “barbaric” and urged the international community to intervene.
Civilians threatened by Israeli attack
At least one person was killed and nine others were injured in a series of Israeli attacks across southern Lebanon on Thursday.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said the Israeli attack threatened civilians and undermined the Lebanese army’s efforts to assert control of “unauthorized weapons and infrastructure” in southern Lebanon, which it said was likely a reference to Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, warned last week that Israel could step up operations in Lebanon.
Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed this threat, saying, “Maximum enforcement will continue and be further intensified. We will not tolerate any threats against the population of the north.”
Aoun accused Israel of intensifying its attacks after it said it was willing to talk about de-escalating tensions. Under intense pressure from the United States, the Lebanese government ordered the military to draft a plan to disarm Hezbollah, a move the group condemned as “hasty” and dangerous.
Last week, Aoun directed the military to counter further Israeli incursions into the country’s south after Israeli forces crossed the common border and killed a city official in an overnight attack.
Since the cease-fire, Israel has maintained troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and conducts regular attacks targeting Hezbollah positions.
Nearly a year after Israel assassinated Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, wiping out much of the group’s senior leadership, the situation remains volatile.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is tasked with disarming Hezbollah in the south by the end of the year before expanding operations nationwide. Hezbollah claims that Israel is using the process to tighten its grip on Lebanese territory and refuses to disarm as long as Israel continues to attack and occupy Lebanese territory.
