The site of an ‘Israeli’ airstrike that targeted a building in the southern Lebanese village of Al-Kfour earlier today.
‘Israel’ says struck four Syria-Lebanon border crossings
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- The ‘Israeli’ military struck four border crossings in the Hermel region on the Syria-Lebanon border, alleging these routes were being used by Hezbollah to smuggle military equipment from Iraq and Syria.
- ‘Israeli’ airstrikes north of the Litani River, including a major strike in Qanarit that wounded 19 people—among them several journalists—have drawn sharp condemnation from the Lebanese Army, which warns that these "sovereignty violations" are actively hindering its US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah.
The ‘Israeli’ military said it struck four crossings along the Syria-Lebanon border on Wednesday, claiming they were used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons, after earlier launching fresh strikes on the group in Lebanon.
"A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck four border crossings on the Syria-Lebanon border used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons in the area of Hermel," the military said in a statement, without providing further details.
It came after ‘Israel’ launched new strikes on what it said were Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon after raids earlier Wednesday killed two people, the latest violence despite a year-old ceasefire with the group.
The state-run National News Agency said ‘Israeli’ warplanes launched raids on buildings in several south Lebanon towns including Qanarit and Kfour, after the ‘Israeli’ army issued evacuation warnings to residents identifying sites it intended to strike there.
An AFP photographer was slightly wounded along with two other journalists who were working near the site of a heavy strike in Qanarit.
According to Lebanon's health ministry, 19 people were wounded in the strike in Qanarit, five of whom were taken to hospital.
The ‘Israeli’ army said it was striking Hezbollah targets in response to the group's "repeated violations of the ceasefire understandings".
Under heavy US pressure and fears of expanded ‘Israeli’ strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming Hezbollah.
But ‘Israel’ has criticised the Lebanese army's progress as insufficient and has kept up regular strikes, usually saying it is targeting members of the Iran-backed group or its infrastructure.
Earlier Wednesday, the health ministry said an ‘Israeli’ strike on a vehicle in the town of Zahrani, in the Sidon district, killed one person.
Later, the ministry said another strike targeting a vehicle in the town of Bazuriyeh in the Tyre district killed one person.
‘Israel’ claimed it struck Hezbollah operatives in both areas.
A Lebanese army statement decried the ‘Israeli’ targeting of "civilian buildings and homes" in a "blatant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty" and the ceasefire deal.
It also said such attacks "hinder the army's efforts" to complete the disarmament plan.
This month, the army said it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area south of the Litani river, around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the ‘Israeli’ border.
Most of Wednesday's strikes were north of the river.
More than 350 people have been killed by ‘Israeli’ fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of health ministry reports.
The November 2024 truce sought to end more than a year of hostilities, but ‘Israel’ accuses Hezbollah of rearming, while the group has rejected calls to surrender its weapons.
