Israel ramps up Lebanon strikes as Hezbollah vows to defend itself

The Israeli military says it has launched a wave of air strikes targeting what it says are Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon as Israel escalates daily attacks on its northern neighbour in flagrant violation of a one-year-old ceasefire.

The barrage on Thursday came soon after a separate Israeli raid targeted southern Lebanon’s Tyre district. The Israeli army claimed it hit members of Hezbollah’s construction unit and that it would “continue to operate in order to remove any threat to the territory of the state of Israel”.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency confirmed Israeli raids near the towns of Toura and Aabbasiyyeh in the Tyre area, and in the southern area of Taybeh but did not report any casualties. In also reported an Israeli warplane flying at a low altitude over Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The attacks come as Hezbollah issued a firm rejection of any political negotiations with Israel, saying such talks would “not serve the national interest”. The statement followed mounting pressure from the United States and Egypt for Lebanon to begin direct dialogue with Israel, the AFP news agency reported. media could not independently verify those claims.

“We reaffirm our legitimate right to defend ourselves against an enemy that imposes war on our country and does not cease its attacks,” Hezbollah said, referring to ongoing Israeli air raids despite a ceasefire agreed to in November 2024.

Lebanon and Israel remain technically at war, with communication limited to a United Nations-backed monitoring mechanism involving France and the US. The two sides meet separately under UN auspices but do not engage in direct talks.

Israel threatens Lebanon with more strikes

Despite reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire, Hezbollah accused Israel of exploiting Lebanon’s internal divisions and continuing its attacks under the pretext of security operations.

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 intensify operations in Lebanon. Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed the threat, saying, “Maximum enforcement will continue and even intensify – we will not allow any threat to the residents of the north.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has condemned Israel for ramping up its attacks after he signalled willingness to discuss de-escalation. The Lebanese government, under heavy US pressure, has ordered the army to draft a plan to disarm Hezbollah – a move the group condemned as “hasty” and dangerous.

Last week, Aoun instructed the armed forces to confront any further Israeli incursion in the country’s south after Israeli forces crossed their shared border and killed a municipal worker during an overnight raid.

The Lebanese forces, unlike the armed group Hezbollah, have generally stayed on the sidelines of the conflict with Israel. But Aoun, a former commander of the Lebanese army, appeared to have finally lost his patience with the Israeli-enforced status quo.

Since the ceasefire, Israel has maintained troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and carried out regular strikes it claims target Hezbollah positions.

The situation remains volatile nearly a year after Israel assassinated Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, decimating much of the group’s senior leadership.

Under the ceasefire terms, Lebanon’s army is tasked with disarming Hezbollah in the south by the end of the year before expanding operations nationwide. Hezbollah insists Israel is exploiting this process to tighten its grip on Lebanese territory and refuses to disarm as long as Israel continues its attacks and occupation of Lebanese territory.