A ceasefire, agreed upon last Wednesday after fourteen months of conflict, is showing signs of strain.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, reported retaliating against alleged Israeli ceasefire violations on Monday, marking the first such response since the truce began last week. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) subsequently announced airstrikes targeting numerous missile launchers and infrastructure within Lebanon.
Since the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah commenced last Wednesday, Israel has carried out daily attacks on Lebanon. In response to these attacks, Hezbollah launched what it described as a “preliminary defensive response,” targeting an Israeli-held site in the Golan Heights, according to a statement relayed by Al Mayadeen TV. The IDF stated that Hezbollah fired two mortar shells toward Har Dov, a site considered Syrian territory under international law but currently occupied by Israel.
The IDF also reported striking “dozens of launchers and terrorist infrastructure throughout Lebanon,” including the origin point of the Hezbollah attack.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar asserted that Israel’s actions are upholding, not violating, the ceasefire agreement. He stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Israel is “not violating the ceasefire understandings but rather enforcing them in response to Hezbollah’s violations.”
According to CNN, citing an unnamed source within the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Israel has allegedly breached the ceasefire approximately 100 times since its implementation.
Axios, citing anonymous sources, reported that US officials have voiced concern over Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanese territory, suggesting the current situation could potentially escalate and lead to the collapse of the temporary peace.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel intensified in October 2023 when Hezbollah began intermittent shelling of Israeli territory in a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
In early October, Israel launched a “limited ground operation” into southern Lebanon, coupled with intensified airstrikes on Beirut and other cities. These strikes resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah.
The ceasefire agreement stipulates that the IDF will withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days, transferring control of occupied territory to the Lebanese army. An international committee will be responsible for resolving disputes related to ceasefire violations.