A view of the destruction after Israeli airstrike hit Beirut, Lebanon on November 18, 2024. (Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Media Line Staff
01/31/2025
The Israeli military announced on Friday that it conducted airstrikes overnight on several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and along the Syrian-Lebanese border. According to the IDF, the strikes targeted a weapons development facility and another site linked to arms smuggling into Lebanon.
The strikes come amid rising tensions despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that was brokered in November following the Gaza war in 2023. On Thursday, Israel intercepted a Hezbollah-launched surveillance drone, calling it a violation of the ceasefire.
The United States confirmed earlier this week that the agreement, which includes a 60-day timeline for Israeli troop withdrawal, remains in effect until February 18, extending the original January 26 deadline. However, Israeli airstrikes have continued since the ceasefire’s extension, resulting in over 100 casualties in Lebanon.
The latest attack follows an Israeli drone strike in the southern Lebanese town of Majdal Selm, where at least five people were injured. Hezbollah has yet to respond to the recent escalation, but the ongoing exchanges signal a fragile ceasefire that could unravel if tensions continue to rise.
With Hezbollah and Israel still exchanging fire despite the truce, the future of the ceasefire agreement remains uncertain. Lebanese officials have condemned the continued strikes, warning of potential repercussions if the situation escalates further.