Israel has escalated daily attacks in Lebanon, flouting a one-year-old truce, while claiming it’s targeting Hezbollah.
Two brothers have been killed in an Israeli air raid on a vehicle between the southeastern Lebanese towns of Ain Ata and Shebaa, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency, in the latest flagrant violation of a one-year-old ceasefire.
In a separate attack on Saturday, an Israeli drone struck a car near Salah Ghandour Hospital in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, injuring seven people, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health Affairs said. Two missiles struck the vehicle in the densely populated area.
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Another Israeli drone attack, the third strike of the day, later hit a car in the Baraachit area, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.
A photo shared by the agency showed smoke rising over blazing wreckage on a road following the attack, which it reported caused an unknown number of casualties.
Israel’s military claimed the attacks were aimed at Hezbollah targets, without providing evidence.
Despite the November 2024 truce, Israel has continued near-daily attacks on its northern neighbour while maintaining forces in areas around the south.
Hezbollah maintains that it remains committed to the truce but insists it will not disarm while Israel occupies Lebanese territory and continues its attacks.
The European Union condemned recent Israeli strikes in a strong statement on Saturday and called for immediate adherence to the ceasefire.
“The EU calls on Israel to cease all actions that violate resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement reached a year ago in November 2024,” EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said. He urged Hezbollah and other Lebanese groups to “refrain from any measures or responses that could further inflame the situation”.
The Lebanese army accused Israel of trying to “undermine Lebanon’s stability” and obstruct the full deployment of Lebanese forces in accordance with the ceasefire.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the recent spate of attacks, describing them as a “flagrant breach” of international law, while Iran denounced them as “savage” and urged the global community to intervene.
Israeli attacks threaten civilians
On Thursday, at least one person was killed and nine injured in a series of Israeli attacks across southern Lebanon.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said Israel’s attacks threaten civilians and undermine efforts by the Lebanese military to assert control over “unauthorised weapons and infrastructure” in southern Lebanon, a likely 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 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.”
Aoun has condemned Israel for ramping up its attacks after he signalled willingness to discuss de-escalation. The Lebanese government, under heavy pressure from the United States, 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.
Since the ceasefire, Israel has maintained troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and carried out regular attacks, which 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.
