Israel says it hit military targets in east and south Lebanon

The Israeli military announced on Thursday that it had carried out airstrikes targeting military positions in both eastern and southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire agreement reached in late November. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the attacks included a strike on an underground militant facility in Lebanon’s Bekaa region and another on a rocket launch site in the south, both of which were reportedly associated with Hezbollah activity.

These latest strikes mark a continuation of Israel’s operations against Hezbollah despite the terms of the ceasefire, which was meant to bring an end to over a year of hostilities. That earlier conflict had seen a period of intense fighting, including Israeli ground troop operations within Lebanese territory.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) confirmed the attacks, reporting that Israeli aircraft bombed areas along the eastern slopes of the mountain range near Janta in the Bekaa Valley, as well as the outskirts of Taraya, located west of Baalbek. In southern Lebanon’s Nabatiyeh region, four missiles were reportedly launched. There were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties from the strikes.

Although a truce was established on November 27, intended to de-escalate the conflict and halt military operations between Hezbollah and Israel, skirmishes and air raids have persisted. Hezbollah had previously justified its actions as support for Gaza, aligning its operations with broader regional tensions.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel was to complete its withdrawal from Lebanese territory by February 18, having already missed a January deadline. However, Israeli forces remain stationed at five locations considered strategically vital. The agreement also mandated that Hezbollah withdraw its forces north of the Litani River—roughly 30 kilometers from the Israeli border—and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.