'Hands on the trigger': Hezbollah vows continued resistance amid fragile ceasefire with Israel

In its first response since a ceasefire took effect on Wednesday, Hezbollah on Thursday pledged to continue resisting Israel and said that it is watching the Israeli military’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon “with (our) hands on the trigger.”

While a tense calm has settled over southern Lebanon, Israel has intensified its operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to The Guardian report, hospital officials reported that airstrikes over the past 24 hours have killed at least 21 people in Gaza, with Israeli ground forces advancing further into the northern and southern parts of the territory.

The Israeli military said its forces were continuing to “strike terror targets as part of the operational activity in the Gaza Strip”.

In a statement from its operations centre late on Wednesday, Hezbollah said its fighters “remain fully equipped to deal with the aspirations and assaults of the Israeli enemy” without directly mentioning the truce.

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A 60-day phased withdrawal began at 4 am local time on Wednesday, during which Israel will pull its forces out of Lebanon, and Hezbollah will relocate its fighters and heavy weaponry from a 16-mile (25km) buffer zone.

This truce aims to facilitate a permanent resolution to 14 months of conflict, with violations to be monitored by a US-led oversight body. However, tensions remain high on the ground.

On Thursday, the Israeli military reported that its air force targeted a Hezbollah facility used to store mid-range rockets, marking the first airstrike since the ceasefire was implemented. Initial reports indicated that the strike occurred north of the Litani River, an area not covered by the truce, reported The Guardian.

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Lebanese security sources and state media reported that Israeli tank fire hit six locations along the UN-demarcated Blue Line on Thursday morning, injuring two people.

“Several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire,” The Guardian quoted Israel’s military as saying in a statement.

The statement added that troops “opened fire toward them” and the army would “actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement”.

Thousands of displaced people in Lebanon have begun packing their belongings and trying to return to their deserted homes in the south, despite conflicting statements from officials. Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, who has been a key negotiator for the country, stated that residents could go back to their homes, while Israel has cautioned against it.

On Wednesday, Israeli forces also fired upon several cars that tried to enter what they designated as a restricted area.

“The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to the border villages,” The Guardian quoted the Hezbollah politician Hassan Fadlallah as telling reporters on Thursday.

“There are violations today by Israel, even in this form,” Fadlallah added.

The fighting has displaced around 1.2 million people in Lebanon and 60,000 in Israel, with Israelis near the border still barred from returning home.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported 3,823 deaths and 15,859 injuries from Israeli fire since October 2023, without distinguishing between civilians and militants. Israeli figures indicate 45 civilian and 73 soldier deaths from Hezbollah attacks.

Hezbollah began firing rockets, drones, and missiles in support of Hamas on October 8, 2023, a day after Hamas attacked Israel. The two sides exchanged fire for a year until Israel escalated with airstrikes and ground troops in late September.

During truce negotiations, Hezbollah withdrew its demand for a ceasefire contingent on halting Gaza fighting.

The Israeli military imposed a curfew in southern Lebanon from 5pm Wednesday to 7am Thursday, with another curfew on Thursday night, preventing displaced Lebanese from returning home as Israeli forces remain in several areas.

“We do not want to harm you – but our forces will not hesitate to engage with any forbidden movements in this zone,” The Guardian quoted Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee as saying.

The US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, a significant step to ease Middle East tensions since October 2023, is not connected to the Gaza conflict.

Efforts to end violence in Gaza have failed repeatedly. Qatar, a key mediator, recently withdrew, citing a lack of commitment from both sides.

President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire and vowed to push for Gaza truce talks, but the separation of fronts has bolstered Israel’s position against Hamas. There’s little chance this will influence Gaza’s fighting, as neither side has shown readiness to amend their conditions for peace.

Gaza faces a dire humanitarian crisis. Israel has been accused of blocking aid and displacing residents, claims it denies. Many believe Israel aims to annex parts of the territory.

Over a year of conflict has left approximately 44,300 Palestinians dead, according to local health officials, whose numbers are recognized by the UN. On October 7, 2023, 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 captured; Israel reports 63 hostages are still alive.

With inputs from agencies