Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has issued a warning that if the ceasefire established last week fails, Israel will “penetrate deeper” into Lebanon and will no longer distinguish between the Lebanese military and Hezbollah.
“If we return to war, we will operate with increased force and penetrate deeper, and…there will be no immunity for the state of Lebanon,” he stated during a visit to Israel’s northern border.
Mr. Katz remarked that “up until now, we differentiated between Lebanon and Hezbollah…this will no longer be the case”.
In the meantime, nine individuals lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes targeting villages in southern Lebanon, as Israel announced it was targeting numerous Hezbollah positions in response to an attack attributed to the militant group amidst a precarious ceasefire.
The Israeli military, in a statement, said it “struck Hezbollah terrorists, numerous launchers, and terrorist infrastructure across Lebanon”.
“Israel demands that the relevant parties in Lebanon fulfill their obligations and prevent Hezbollah’s hostile actions,” the statement remarked.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported on strikes across southern Lebanon.
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the airstrikes resulted in five fatalities and two injuries in the village of Haris “in an initial report”, while in the village of Tallous, four more individuals were killed and one injured.
Earlier, Hezbollah claimed to have attacked an Israeli position in “the occupied hills of Kfar Shouba”, which lies in a disputed border region between Israel and Lebanon.
The Israeli military stated that Hezbollah had fired two projectiles towards one of its posts in the Har Dov area, Israel’s term for the contested Shebaa Farms.
Following this attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Hezbollah for a “serious violation” and vowed to “respond forcefully”.
“We are resolved to maintain the ceasefire and react to any infringement by Hezbollah, regardless of how trivial or significant,” he asserted.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz also promised a “stern response”.
Shortly thereafter, the Israeli military announced it was targeting locations in Lebanon.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported strikes on regions in southern Lebanon, areas where Hezbollah has long exerted influence, located about 20km from the Israeli border.
‘Aggressive actions’
Since the ceasefire was established, Israel has conducted nearly daily strikes in southern Lebanon, and earlier on Monday, Beirut’s influential parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of breaching the truce.
“The aggressive actions taken by Israeli occupation forces… signify a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement’s terms,” stated Mr. Berri, who played a role in mediating the truce on behalf of his ally, Hezbollah.
The conflict intensified after Israel shifted its focus from Gaza to Lebanon in September to secure its northern border from Hezbollah attacks, delivering significant blows to the Iran-backed Shiite Muslim group.
Moreover, yesterday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot discussed with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar the “necessity for all parties to uphold the ceasefire in Lebanon,” according to the foreign ministry.
Mr. Saar refuted claims that Israel had violated the truce, asserting instead that his country’s strikes were “enforcing” the ceasefire.
He also mentioned that Hezbollah had attempted to transfer weapons in southern Lebanon and that their presence “south of the Litani river is the most fundamental violation of the agreements”.
According to the agreement, Hezbollah is required to withdraw its fighters from areas south of the river and dismantle its military infrastructure in the southern region.
The Lebanese military and United Nations peacekeepers will be deployed to southern Lebanon.
As part of the arrangement, the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers will be assigned to southern Lebanon as the Israeli army completes its withdrawal over a 60-day timeframe.
Israel urged to ‘cease its violations’ of the ceasefire
A committee including representatives from France, UN peacekeepers, Israel, Lebanon, and chaired by the United States, has been established to maintain communication among the parties and ensure that violations are identified and addressed to prevent escalation.
“We urge the technical committee formed to monitor the implementation of this agreement to clarify its stance on ongoing violations… that have exceeded 54 breaches,” Mr. Berri emphasized, calling for Israel to be made accountable for its violations and to withdraw from occupied territories.
The US stated that it believed the ceasefire in Lebanon remains intact and is monitoring potential violations.
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A father and his son kindled a small fire to keep warm on a chilly night in Khan Younis.
At the same time, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, along with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah party, has agreed to form a committee to jointly manage post-war Gaza, negotiators from both sides reported.
Under the proposed arrangement, pending Mr. Abbas’s approval, the committee would consist of ten to 15 non-partisan figures with authority over economic, educational, health, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction matters, as outlined in a draft proposal.
Following discussions in Cairo, mediated by Egypt, the two rival factions agreed that the committee would oversee the Palestinian side of the Rafah checkpoint, the sole crossing not shared with Israel.
Fatah’s delegation will return to Ramallah to seek Mr. Abbas’s final endorsement, according to negotiators from both factions.
This initiative emerges amidst renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at concluding the conflict.
12 people perished in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes
Israeli airstrikes have claimed at least 12 lives across Gaza, the majority in the town of Beit Lahiya on the northern front, as medics reported, with the IDF issuing new evacuation orders in the southern part of the enclave.
According to medics, eight individuals were killed in a series of strikes in Beit Lahiya – one of the two towns where the army has been active since October – while four others died elsewhere in Gaza City.
The Israeli army has issued evacuation orders to residents in northern sectors of Khan Younis, a town located in southern Gaza, citing the launching of rockets by militants from these areas.
The orders led to a frantic exodus of families, mostly before dawn, heading westward away from danger.
Palestinian and UN officials have asserted that there are no safe spaces within the enclave due to Israel’s military campaign.
The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been internally displaced, with many experiencing displacement multiple times since the onset of the conflict last year.
