Israeli Air Strikes Target Southern Lebanon
On Thursday, the Israeli military conducted air strikes in southern Lebanon. Lebanese Civil Defence personnel were deployed to Jbaa following reports of a strike. This action occurred less than 24 hours after Israel and Lebanon held their first direct talks in decades.
An Israeli military spokesman stated that the targeted sites constituted a ceasefire violation and affirmed continued operations to address perceived threats to Israel. Residents in the towns of Mjadel, Baraachit, Jbaa, and Mahrouna received evacuation notices for areas near locations identified by the Israeli military as alleged weapons warehouses associated with Hezbollah. No casualties have been reported.
Background and Ceasefire Status
Israel has conducted strikes on Lebanon since a ceasefire took effect in November 2024, following 13 months of conflict. Lebanese officials have not issued immediate comments regarding Thursday's strikes, though Lebanese politicians have previously described similar incidents as ceasefire violations.
Israel has maintained positions at strategic border sites and increased air strikes in recent weeks. Israeli officials attribute this to perceived efforts by Hezbollah to rebuild military infrastructure and insufficient Lebanese government actions regarding the group's disarmament.
Recent Diplomatic Engagement
Civilian representatives from Israel and Lebanon convened in Naqoura, Lebanon, for their first direct talks in decades. The discussions were hosted at the UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) headquarters, occurring within a ceasefire monitoring committee meeting that historically included only military officers from the US, France, Lebanon, Israel, and UNIFIL.
A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office characterized the meeting's atmosphere positively and noted an agreement to develop ideas for potential economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon. The statement also indicated that Israeli envoys emphasized the necessity of Hezbollah's disarmament, independent of economic cooperation advancements.
Lebanese Stance
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated that Lebanon remains distant from diplomatic normalization with Israel, clarifying that the talks aimed at de-escalating tension. He further specified that the discussions were not peace negotiations, outlining Lebanon's priorities as:
- Cessation of hostilities
- Release of Lebanese detainees held by Israel
- Israel's full territorial withdrawal
Salam also mentioned Beirut's openness to the deployment of French and US troops to assist in verifying Hezbollah's disarmament efforts.
These recent strikes and diplomatic activities coincide with a UN Security Council delegation's visit to Lebanon to assess the stalled implementation of the ceasefire.
A deal brokered by the US and France outlines an initial phase for Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the relocation of Hezbollah fighters and weaponry south of the Litani river, approximately 30km (20 miles) from the Israeli border. Hezbollah and its allies have expressed opposition to this plan.