Netanyahu orders army to ‘vigorously attack’ Hezbollah in Lebanon

Two days after a ceasefire was prolonged by three weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his military to “vigorously attack Hezbollah targets” in Lebanon. The directive led to renewed strikes, following reports of at least six casualties in southern Lebanon on Saturday. Cross-border clashes have since tested the stability of the agreement, which saw reduced but not halted activity. The truce was extended on Thursday after diplomatic talks between Israeli and Lebanese envoys in Washington.

According to Agence-France-Presse, Israeli air strikes in Yohmor al-Shaqeef, Nabatieh district, killed four individuals in an attack on a truck and motorbike. A separate incident in Safad al-Battikh, Bint Jbeil district, resulted in two deaths and 17 injuries. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have “eliminated” three Hezbollah fighters in the area, along with another on a motorcycle, while two more were reportedly killed in the Litani region, where Israeli troops maintain a self-declared buffer zone.

“The UK and Finland strongly condemn all violence directed against journalists and media workers.”

Hezbollah retaliated by targeting an Israeli army vehicle in south Lebanon, AFP reported. In response to Netanyahu’s order, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) noted multiple strikes across Bint Jbeil, Tyre, and Nabatieh districts. The IDF asserted it had “struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure” in southern Lebanon, emphasizing its commitment to “operating decisively against threats to Israeli civilians and soldiers” as per political guidance.

Israel’s ongoing occupation of much of southern Lebanon has included large-scale demolitions in the region. An international press group criticized the attacks on journalists, citing the death of Amal Khalil, a Lebanese newspaper employee, and injuries to freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj. Officials stated the pair were deliberately targeted as they sought shelter after an initial strike killed two men. The IDF denied intentionally hitting journalists, stating the attack was a “suspicious aerial target” in Malkia, which it called an “additional violation of the ceasefire.”

Escalating tensions underscore the fragility of the ceasefire, which has only seen a reduction in hostilities rather than a complete halt. With renewed strikes, the agreement’s sustainability remains under scrutiny as both sides continue their operations in the region.