Israel Strikes Lebanon in Heaviest Exchange Since Ceasefire with Hezbollah

Israel launched a series of airstrikes across multiple locations in Lebanon on Saturday, marking the heaviest exchange of fire since the ceasefire with Hezbollah began nearly four months ago. The airstrikes were in retaliation for a rocket attack that killed six people, raising concerns over the stability of the fragile truce, which was already under strain following Israel's renewed military actions against Hamas in Gaza.

Rising Tensions in the Region
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed that the military was ordered to strike "dozens of targets" across Lebanon. The Israeli army reported that six rockets were fired toward the border town of Metula, with three crossing into Israeli territory before being intercepted by air defense systems. The military, however, refrained from confirming which group was responsible for the attack. In response, Israel targeted Hezbollah's command centers and rocket launchers.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli airstrike on the southern village of Touline killed five people, including a child, and injured ten others, with several children among the wounded. Another strike in the coastal city of Tyre, the first since the ceasefire, resulted in one fatality and seven injuries. An additional attack in Hawsh al-Sayed Ali, near the Syrian border, left five others injured.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the escalation and called on the military to take all necessary measures to defend the country, while stressing that Lebanon does not seek a return to war.

Background on the Ceasefire and Rising Violations
The violence stems from the ongoing tension that erupted after Hezbollah began its attacks on Israel following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, which ignited the war in Gaza. By September 2024, the conflict had escalated into a full-blown war, with Israel's airstrikes killing a significant portion of Hezbollah's leadership. The fighting claimed over 4,000 lives in Lebanon and displaced tens of thousands of Israelis.

As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel was supposed to withdraw from Lebanese territory by late January 2024, but the deadline was extended to February 18. Despite this, Israeli forces remain in five locations along the Lebanese border. Israel has continued airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, claiming Hezbollah as its primary target. In addition, drone attacks have killed several Hezbollah operatives.

Lebanon has called on the United Nations to press Israel to fully withdraw, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon has voiced alarm over the latest escalation, urging all parties to preserve the ceasefire.

Israel's Intensified Offensive in Gaza
The airstrikes in Lebanon come just one day after Israel vowed to escalate its operations in Gaza until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on Friday night killed at least nine people, including three children, in a house in Gaza City, according to reports from Al-Ahli Hospital.

The military also issued new evacuation warnings to Palestinians in three neighborhoods west of Gaza City as they prepare for more assaults. Since resuming operations on Tuesday, Israeli forces have killed around 600 Palestinians, and the blockade on Gaza continues to prevent food, fuel, and humanitarian aid from reaching its 2 million residents.

The international community has strongly condemned Israel’s renewed military actions in Gaza.

Internal Israeli Tensions
Meanwhile, domestic tensions in Israel have risen following the government’s handling of hostage negotiations and the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the head of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security service. Tens of thousands of Israelis protested the decision, calling for new elections.

Israel's Supreme Court temporarily halted Bar's dismissal pending an appeal, citing the lack of legal grounds for the move. Prime Minister Netanyahu, however, reaffirmed that Bar would not remain in his position, asserting his lack of confidence in the Shin Bet chief.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid has threatened a nationwide tax rebellion and general strike if the government defies the court ruling, emphasizing that such a move would bring the country to a halt.