Israel pounds targets across Lebanon despite ceasefire

ISTANBUL

Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes late Sunday on towns in northern, eastern and southern Lebanon in violation of a ceasefire, Lebanese media reported.

The strikes targeted the town of Kfar Melki in Akkar district in northern Lebanon and the town of Flawiye, west of Baalbek, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Israeli warplanes also carried out three airstrikes targeting the outskirts of the town of Bodai, west of Baalbek.

In southern Lebanon, Israeli aircraft launched an airstrike on the area between the towns of Ain Qana, Sarba and Houmine Al Faouqa in the Iqlim Al-Tuffah region.

Israeli warplanes also carried out a heavy airstrike on Wadi Al-Zararia–Razai in Sidon district in the country’s south, in addition to another airstrike targeting the outskirts of the towns of Arzi and Burj Rahal in Tyre district.

NNA reported that Israeli warplanes also bombed the area between the town of Al-Matariyyah on the banks of the Litani River in the Qasmiyeh area of Tyre district in southern Lebanon.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement on X that "the Defense Forces recently carried out airstrikes in the Bekaa region and southern Lebanon."

He said the strikes "targeted a number of military sites and infrastructure used for storing and producing strategic weapons for the terrorist Hezbollah group, in addition to a site for launching rocket projectiles."

No casualties were reported due to the attack.

Israel launched an assault on Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023 that escalated into a full-scale war by Sept. 23, 2024. The conflict has killed more than 4,000 people, wounded over 17,000 and displaced nearly 1.4 million, according to official data.

Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah’s activities despite a November ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The truce ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce including the deaths of at least 231 people and injuries to more than 500 since the agreement was signed.

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 Tel Aviv refused to comply.

Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.