Israel carried out a series of airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon despite the implementation of a ceasefire, leaving at least 27 people dead and another 26 injured by Saturday afternoon, according to Lebanese media outlets and emergency services.
The Israeli military (IDF) claimed that the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah violated the ceasefire agreement by launching attacks on Israeli forces just one day after the truce came into effect. In response, the IDF said it targeted multiple Hezbollah positions.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it remains committed to upholding the ceasefire agreement in accordance with directives from the country’s political leadership. A military official stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz had instructed the armed forces to “hold fire.”
According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, the decision followed consultations with the United States and discussions at the political level.
Meanwhile, a senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office said in a separate statement that Israel would maintain its presence in southern Lebanon if necessary to ensure security along the northern border.
The statement added that the military had been instructed to respond forcefully to any Hezbollah attacks and to neutralize targets deemed threats to Israeli forces.
Israeli authorities claimed that nearly 300 targets had been struck over the past two days in retaliation for Hezbollah attacks, resulting in around 100 deaths. However, these figures could not be independently verified.
The IDF has not disclosed any casualties among its own forces resulting from Hezbollah attacks. Nevertheless, it said the recent incidents represent part of what it described as a continuing pattern of ceasefire violations by Hezbollah.