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Israel’s military began carrying out strikes in eastern Lebanon on Monday, increasing its bombing campaign during a ceasefire that has failed to completely end fighting with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
The strikes in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley marked the first time the area had been hit since the start of operations on April 16, which significantly slowed down the offensive without completely halting the exchange of fire.
Israel continued to carry out strikes in the south of Lebanon, while its soldiers occupy the southern part of the country, destroying homes that they say are infrastructure used by Hezbollah. The group, backed by Iran, has continued to attack Israeli forces in Lebanon and northern Israel.
The spokesman of the Israeli army said that it is starting to attack Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the Bekaa and the southern areas of Lebanon. Security sources told Reuters that the strikes hit near the town of Nabi Chit, near Lebanon’s eastern border with Syria, with no recent reports of casualties.
Lebanon’s state news agency reported several strikes in the south that left at least three people injured.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend their initial 10-day agreement for another three weeks. But the UNHCR representative, Karolina Lindholm Billing, says the deal still feels “unsustainable” for those on the ground.
Hezbollah said on Monday it attacked an Israeli tank in southern Lebanon with a drone. Israel’s military said a drone launched by Hezbollah exploded near its forces in southern Lebanon, without causing any damage.
At least 2,509 people have been killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon since March 2, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel in support of its ally Iran and began an Israeli air campaign that left much of southern Lebanon devastated.
The war has heightened tensions among the Lebanese people, who are divided over Hezbollah’s weapons and peace talks with Israel.
The ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel in the United States met twice to discuss the issue of the ceasefire, which aims to pave the way for direct talks to find a peace agreement between the long-time enemies.
Hezbollah strongly opposes direct talks, with its head Naim Qassem describing the talks in a written statement on Monday as a “shameful and unnecessary concession.”
“Let’s be clear, these direct talks and their results are considered as something that does not belong to us and do not affect us at all. We will continue to protect Lebanon and its people,” said Qassem.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun defended the government’s move to engage in face-to-face talks and on Monday criticized Hezbollah without naming the group.
“What we are doing is not treason; rather, treason is committed by anyone who takes their country to war to serve foreign interests,” he said in a statement issued by his office, apparently referring to Hezbollah’s decision to enter the regional war last month.
“Some accuse us of deciding to go to negotiations on the grounds that there is no national consensus, and I ask: When you went to war, did you start to find national consensus?” Aoun said.
