 "Israel strikes southern Lebanon after evacuation warning, targets Hezbollah infrastructure")
Israeli forces carried out air strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday following an evacuation alert, Lebanese state media reported as Israel said the attacks targeted Hezbollah-linked sites.
The latest strikes come just days after the Lebanese army announced it had finished dismantling Hezbollah positions south of the Litani River, describing the move as the initial stage of a broader disarmament plan. Israel, however, has dismissed those steps as inadequate.
Lebanon’s National News Agency said Israeli warplanes launched more than 10 air raids on the town of Kafr Hatta, located north of the Litani, after residents were warned to leave the area. The bombardment caused widespread damage to buildings, the agency said.
The Israeli military confirmed it was carrying out strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in multiple locations shortly after issuing the evacuation warning for Kafr Hatta.
Despite a ceasefire brokered in November 2024 to halt more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have continued regularly.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli army said it had hit additional Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, describing the operations as a response to what it called repeated breaches of the ceasefire arrangements by the group.
According to Lebanon’s state media, Israeli aircraft also struck Jezzine, Mahmudiyeh and Al-Dimasqiyeh, along with more than 10 raids on Al-Bureij. All the locations cited lie in southern Lebanon, mostly north of the Litani River.
Facing intense pressure from the United States and concerns that Israeli attacks could escalate further, Lebanon has pledged to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, which suffered significant losses during its conflict with Israel.
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View AllLebanon’s army said Thursday that it had “achieved the objectives of the first phase” of its disarmament plan, covering the area south of the Litani – around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Israeli border – with the intention to extend it to the rest of the country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in response that the ceasefire “states clearly, Hezbollah must be fully disarmed”.
Lebanon’s efforts, it added, “are an encouraging beginning, but they are far from sufficient, as evidenced by Hezbollah’s efforts to rearm and rebuild”.
Despite the truce, Israel has also maintained troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic.
With inputs from agencies
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