The Israeli military began carrying out strikes in eastern Lebanon yesterday, expanding the scope of its bombing campaign during a ceasefire that has failed to fully halt hostilities with Lebanese armed group Hizbollah.
The strikes on Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley marked the first time the area has been hit since a US-brokered ceasefire came into force on April 16, significantly reducing the pace of attacks without entirely stopping the exchanges of fire.
Israel has continued to carry out strikes across southern Lebanon, and its troops are occupying a strip of the country’s south, destroying homes they describe as infrastructure being used by Hizbollah. The Iran-backed group, meanwhile, has kept up its drone and rocket attacks against Israeli troops in Lebanon and on northern Israel.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military said it was beginning to strike Hizbollah infrastructure in the Bekaa as well as areas in southern Lebanon. Security sources told Reuters strikes had hit near the town of Nabi Chit, near Lebanon’s eastern border with Syria, with no immediate reports of casualties.
Lebanon’s state media agency reported several strikes across the south that left at least three people wounded.
Hizbollah said yesterday it had attacked an Israeli tank in southern Lebanon with a drone. The Israeli military said a drone launched by Hizbollah exploded near its troops in southern Lebanon, without causing casualties.
More than 2,500 people have been killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon since March 2, when Hizbollah fired on Israel in support of its ally Iran and triggered an Israeli ground and air campaign that has left swathes of southern Lebanon in ruins.
The war has deepened differences among people in Lebanon, who are divided over Hizbollah’s arms and over prospective peace talks with Israel. The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the US have met twice to discuss the ceasefire, intended to pave the way for direct talks to secure a peace deal between the longtime foes.
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