Israel launched multiple airstrikes on mountainous areas in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, targeting Hezbollah positions, according to statements from both Lebanese and Israeli sources.
Israeli warplanes launched a series of violent strikes on the eastern mountain range in the Bekaa region near the Syrian border, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency. The agency also said two Israeli strikes hit the Hermel range in the country’s northeast.
The Israeli military confirmed the attacks, stating that they targeted Hezbollah sites in eastern and northern Lebanon, including a military camp and a site for the production of precision missiles in the Bekaa. The statement added that Israeli forces also struck a Hezbollah military site in the Sharbin area in northern Lebanon.
Lebanese media reports said that the aerial raids on Thursday targeted southern and eastern parts of Lebanon, including the Bekaa Valley and the outskirts of Hermel, as well as the town of Shmistar, where a school was damaged by the attacks. At least two civilians were killed and several others were injured, including school children whose windows were shattered by the bombardment.
The strikes come despite a 60-day ceasefire agreement brokered and took effect on 27 November 2024. The ceasefire required Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon and for Hezbollah to dismantle its military presence in the area.
Under pressure from the United States and in an effort to prevent renewed escalation, the Lebanese government has begun taking steps to disarm Hezbollah. However, the militant group and its allies remain firmly opposed to the plan.
