Israel launches fresh air attacks on Lebanon
Israel has launched a new series of air raids on southern Lebanon, heightening tensions and putting additional strain on a fragile US-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah that has been in place since last year.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported late Monday that Israeli jets struck Mount Safi, the town of Jbaa, the Zefta Valley, and the area between Azza and Rumin Arki in “several waves”, damaging multiple homes. No casualties were immediately reported.
The Israeli military confirmed the strikes in a post on X, saying it had targeted multiple Hezbollah-linked sites, including a special operations training compound used by the group’s elite Radwan Force, along with several buildings and a rocket-launching position.
Ceasefire under strain
The latest attacks came just days after Israel and Lebanon each sent civilian representatives to a military committee tasked with monitoring their truce—an effort long pushed by the United States, which hopes the mechanism will foster broader negotiations between the two countries.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Friday that Lebanon “has adopted the option of negotiations with Israel,” stressing that the talks are intended to stop Israel’s ongoing strikes inside Lebanese territory.
The current ceasefire, negotiated by Washington in 2024, halted more than a year of cross-border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. But despite the agreement, Israel has continued near-daily strikes into Lebanon, prompting growing frustration in Beirut.
A UN report published in November said at least 127 civilians, including children, have been killed in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect. UN officials have warned that Israel’s repeated attacks could constitute “war crimes.”
Tensions surged last week when Israel bombed Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing Hezbollah’s top military commander, Haytham Ali Tabtabai. The group—still weakened after last year’s conflict—has yet to respond, leaving the region bracing for possible retaliation.
Hezbollah, rearmament claims, and international involvement
Israel accuses Lebanon of failing to rein in Hezbollah or force it to give up its weapons. Lebanese officials reject the accusation, saying they are committed to upholding the ceasefire and improving monitoring routines.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said last week that Lebanon wants the ceasefire-monitoring mechanism to take a stronger role in verifying Israeli claims that Hezbollah is rearming, as well as assessing the Lebanese army’s efforts to control the group’s military infrastructure. Asked whether Lebanon would accept US and French troops on the ground as part of a verification mission, Salam replied: “Of course.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has said it will not disarm while Israel continues its strikes on Lebanese territory and occupies five disputed points in the country’s south.
Fear of escalation
The renewed air campaign has stirred fears among civilians and analysts that Israel may widen its operations in Lebanon. With both sides trading accusations and tensions climbing steadily, the US-brokered ceasefire, already battered by repeated violations, now faces one of its most serious tests since coming into force.
Source: Al Jazeera