The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a major wave of airstrikes Thursday against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, citing clear violations of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. Israeli officials accused the Iran-backed terror group of rebuilding weapons depots and repositioning fighters in areas where they had been ordered to withdraw.
Before launching the strikes, the IDF issued civilian evacuation warnings in five locations. Lebanese civil defense agencies coordinated with the evacuations, and strikes began roughly an hour later. The IDF said it targeted Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, hitting major weapons storage sites embedded within civilian areas.
Lebanon’s state-run media reported one fatality and several injuries from the strikes, with damage centered in the towns of Toura and Tayr Debba. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the IDF response, accusing Israel of violating international law and targeting civilians—though his administration downplayed Hezbollah’s continued refusal to disarm.
Hezbollah, in a statement to the Lebanese people, insisted it is respecting the ceasefire. Yet the group openly declared it would retain weapons and continue its operations as long as Israel conducted what it called “aggression.” Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has previously warned that disarmament is not on the table and claimed the Lebanese government is under foreign pressure to dismantle the group.
Israeli officials presented intelligence to U.S. and French authorities, reportedly showing Hezbollah’s rearmament and the Lebanese army’s failure to dismantle terrorist infrastructure. A senior IDF officer warned that Thursday’s strikes were only the beginning, stating that Hezbollah will be targeted throughout Lebanon, including in Beirut, if disarmament does not occur.
The IDF emphasized that Hezbollah’s continued presence and operations near civilians represent a deliberate use of human shields—making future conflict inevitable if Lebanon fails to enforce the ceasefire agreement.
