Israel Steps Up Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon
Ongoing Israeli air raids in southern Lebanon target Hezbollah operatives amid reports of rising casualties and regional tensions.
As the Gaza ceasefire passes the two-week mark, Israel has intensified its airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions despite a year-long US-backed truce between Israel and Lebanon.
The latest strike occurred on Monday in the al-Biyad area of southern Lebanon, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it killed two Hezbollah operatives. One of them was identified as Hussein Ibrahim Suleiman, a member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force.
In an official statement, the IDF said:
"The terrorists were involved in advancing terror attacks toward the territory of the State of Israel and were eliminated while working to rebuild a terror infrastructure.”
The statement added that their actions “constituted a threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, and a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
Reports from Beirut-based outlet The Cradle indicate that Israeli strikes have continued for five consecutive days, killing at least 12 people since last Thursday. On Sunday, two Lebanese civilians were also reportedly killed in Israeli attacks.
According to regional media, Israel’s operations include drone strikes on single vehicles—targeting high-ranking Hezbollah commanders in what appear to be assassination-style operations.
The ongoing violence comes despite a ceasefire officially in effect since November 2024, following a major wave of Israeli airstrikes last June.
Hezbollah, facing significant losses and shifting regional dynamics, is reportedly considering a major disarmament strategy, according to Reuters. Following the 2024 ceasefire, the group transferred security responsibilities south of the Litani River to the Lebanese Armed Forces and surrendered several weapons depots in that region.
The IDF has claimed a series of “targeted strikes” in recent days, continuing a pattern of escalations that dates back to 2024.
In September 2024, Israel carried out a massive attack that detonated thousands of explosive-laden pagers used by Hezbollah members, killing at least a dozen people and injuring nearly 3,000. Later that month, an Israeli airstrike also killed Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, who had led the group for 32 years.
Hezbollah’s influence has been further weakened by the collapse of Syria’s Assad regime in December, following a prolonged US-led campaign for regime change, which replaced President Bashar al-Assad with the former head of Jabhat al-Nusra.
With airstrikes intensifying and regional alliances shifting, analysts warn that Lebanon could be on the brink of renewed conflict, potentially jeopardizing fragile ceasefire agreements that have kept a broader regional war at bay.