BEIRUT

Israeli warplanes launched on Friday an airstrike on the town of Baisariyeh in the Sidon district of southern Lebanon, marking an escalation in Israel's continued violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Lebanese National News Agency reported that “a loud explosion was heard in the village of Baisariyeh, which was later confirmed to have been caused by an Israeli enemy airstrike.”

The agency also noted: “Israeli enemy forces have commenced a two-phase explosion operation in the southern Lebanese village of Kfarkila.”

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since Nov. 27, 2024, ending a period of mutual shelling between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah that began on Oct. 8, 2023 and escalated into a full-scale conflict on Sept. 23 last year.

Since the ceasefire took effect, Israel has committed over 840 violations, killing and injuring dozens of people in Lebanon, including women and children.

Israel was supposed to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26 under the ceasefire deal, but it refused and the deadline was extended to Feb. 18.