Israel Strikes Lebanon Amid Ceasefire

Beirut: Israel has carried out a sequence of airstrikes, concentrating on a number of areas in southern and japanese Lebanon, media reported. 

Israeli warplanes launched a number of raids on the heights of the japanese Mountain Vary and an space within the Baalbek district of japanese Lebanon, the Nationwide Information Company (NNA) reported, including Israel additionally launched a number of airstrikes on targets in southern Lebanon at round 10:35 p.m. native time on Thursday. 

Previous to the airstrikes, Israeli plane carried out intensive low-altitude flights over the city of Rashaya and western Bekaa, whereas flying at larger altitudes over the town of Hermel and northern Bekaa in japanese Lebanon, Xinhua information company reported. 

Israeli jets have been additionally seen over Beirut and its suburbs, in response to the report. 

These developments come regardless of the continuing ceasefire settlement between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and the Israeli army, which took impact on November 27, 2024, and was meant to finish greater than a yr of cross-border clashes triggered by the warfare in Gaza. 

The settlement stipulated that Israel would withdraw from Lebanese territory inside 60 days, whereas the Lebanese military can be deployed alongside the Lebanese-Israeli border and within the southern area, making certain that no weapons or militants remained south of the Litani River. 

Nonetheless, Lebanon’s caretaker authorities introduced on January 27 that it had agreed to increase the ceasefire till February 18, after the preliminary 60-day interval expired with out an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. 

Regardless of the truce, the Israeli army has continued to launch occasional strikes in Lebanon, claiming they’re aimed toward eliminating “threats” posed by Hezbollah. 

Tensions have escalated because the Israeli military remained within the Lebanese territory after a 60-day deadline for its withdrawal from southern Lebanon that handed on January 26 underneath a ceasefire settlement. 

The US, nonetheless, mentioned that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to an extension of the deadline till February 18. 

At the very least 26 individuals have been killed and 221 injured by Israeli gunfire since January 26 as residents attempt to return to their villages in southern Lebanon, in response to native well being authorities. 

The delicate cease-fire has been in place since November 27, ending a interval of mutual shelling between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah, that started October 8, 2023, and escalated right into a full-scale battle on September 23 final yr. 

Knowledge from the Lebanese Well being Ministry signifies that since Israel’s onslaught towards Lebanon started in 2023, no less than 4,080 individuals have been killed, together with girls, kids, and well being employees, whereas 16,753 have been injured.