The specter of conflict has reemerged in Lebanon following Israeli airstrikes that targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas in the south. Israeli officials have vowed to escalate their attacks if the Lebanese authorities do not disarm Hezbollah, while the Lebanese military condemned the strikes, warning that further hostility could lead to a suspension of cooperation with ceasefire monitoring mechanisms.
On the previous day, the Israeli Air Force reported that it struck underground facilities used by Hezbollah for drone manufacturing and storage located in the outskirts of Beirut and southern Lebanon.
Israeli aircraft conducted three additional airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, bringing the total number of Israeli airstrikes to eight after threats from Israeli military spokesperson Avichai Adraee to target several buildings in the region. An airstrike was also carried out on the southern town of Ain Qana, resulting in injuries to three Lebanese individuals.
The Israeli strikes focused on key buildings in the southern suburb of Beirut. An Israeli drone executed an airstrike in Ain Qana, situated in the southern region of Lebanon, as reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency.
Additionally, Israeli drones carried out 12 warning strikes near buildings designated for potential attacks in the southern suburbs of Beirut, and there were reports of Israeli military aircraft flying at low altitudes over the Rashaya and western Bekaa regions in eastern Lebanon.
Heavy gunfire was heard in the southern suburbs of Beirut as a warning to residents following threats from the Israeli military. The area witnessed significant displacement as a result of these threats. The Lebanese army also filled a trench approximately 200 meters long that had been dug by the Israeli military on the outskirts of the village of Mays al-Jabal in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has pledged to continue airstrikes in Lebanon until the authorities remove Hezbollah’s weapons, stating: “There will be no calm in Beirut, nor stability in Lebanon without the security of the State of Israel. Agreements must be respected, and if you do not comply, we will continue to take strong action.”
Lebanese Military Statement
In the meantime, the Lebanese Armed Forces announced that the ongoing escalation of Israeli aggression might force the military to halt cooperation with ceasefire monitoring mechanisms with regards to site inspections.
The military’s statement clarified that this position is a response to daily violations that have transformed into acts of aggression, including strikes on populated areas in the southern suburbs of Beirut and the south. Additionally, Israel’s refusal to engage with the monitoring committee’s efforts to prevent such attacks has weakened the roles of both the committee and the army. The statement concluded with a commitment that the military would continue its duties to assert state authority and safeguard the security of Lebanon and its citizens with determination and resolve, in accordance with its national duty.
Airstrikes
Furthermore, a Lebanese military official stated that Israel prevented the army from inspecting a site in the southern suburbs of Beirut prior to bombing it. The Israeli military confirmed targeting positions associated with Hezbollah’s air unit, particularly facilities for drone production, after Adraee issued a warning to evacuate buildings in the area in preparation for the strikes.
A Lebanese military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked: “The Israelis sent a message earlier in the day indicating there was a target in the southern suburbs of Beirut that they were inquiring about due to suspicions it might contain weapons. The Lebanese army assessed the location, which was the site of destroyed buildings, and reported through the ceasefire mechanism and its supervising committee that the area contained nothing of concern.”
He added that the Israelis did not send any message through the supervising committee regarding the sites they intended to strike at night and explained that when Adraee’s announcement circulated, the Lebanese army attempted to proceed to the first site indicated. However, warning strikes from Israel prevented the army from carrying out its mission.