Lebanon condemns Israeli air strikes as ceasefire violations mount

Five Lebanese were killed and 18 others injured in a series of Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

Israeli fighter jets also bombed and destroyed a building in the Hadath neighbourhood of Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking the first Israeli strike on the area since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in November 2024.

The strikes were part of a series of Israeli attacks that targeted multiple areas in southern Lebanon under the pretext of striking "Hezbollah-linked targets."

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli air strike on Beirut's southern suburb, calling it "unacceptable and unjustified."

His remarks came during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

"I call on our allies to act swiftly to halt this escalation and support Lebanon in implementing international resolutions," Aoun said. He also stressed that his country seeks "regional stability and lasting peace."

A drone strike targeted the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif in the Nabatieh district, killing two people, the Lebanese state news agency NNA reported.

Earlier, an Israeli air strike on the town of Kfar Tibnit killed three people and injured 18 others, including eight women and six children, the ministry said.

Israeli warplanes struck the Sharafeddine Villa near Kfar Tibnit’s municipal building, reducing it to rubble, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

The deadly attacks followed a wave of air raids on the outskirts of Kfar Houneh in the Jezzine district, as well as on the Rihan Heights, Aaramta, and Sejoud in southern Lebanon.

The strikes came after the Israeli army claimed that two rockets had been launched from Lebanon into Israeli territory, an incident that Hezbollah denied any involvement in, reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire agreement. 

Violation after violation

According to the NNA, the Israeli army committed 45 violations of the ceasefire agreement in a day.

A fragile ceasefire had been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities reported over 1,300 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including over 100 fatalities and more than 330 injuries.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after it refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.

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Source: TRT