On the third Monday of January, specifically January 13, the Israeli Occupation Forces stated that their fighter jets executed several air attacks on different Hezbollah locations across the territory of Lebanon. The official statement issued by IOF indicates that these attacks had destroyed a rocket launcher site, a military installation, and critical main roads allegedly used to move weapons across the Syrian-Lebanese border.
The sites targeted, according to Israel, posed “direct threats” to the security of the democratic state, and thus these measures were required for the safeguarding of the home front. The IOF further stated that such threats were previously communicated in advance warning to even international mediators responsible for overseeing the ceasefire mechanism between the two countries. Despite these warnings, the IOF said the threats were “not addressed,” prompting their military response.
“The Israeli Occupation Forces will continue to act decisively to prevent any attempts by Hezbollah to rebuild its forces in violation of the ceasefire understandings. Our priority remains the protection of Israeli civilians, the IOF statement read.
The airstrikes come at a time of heightened tension between Israel and Hezbollah, with the fragile ceasefire agreement signed in November coming under strain. According to Lebanese media, the strikes hit the outskirts of Janta village in Baalbek-Hermel area and Houmin al-Fawqa village near Nabatieh in the south Lebanon. Nonetheless, local reports did not contain any information about victims or the degree of destruction inflicted in accordance with the impact.
The ceasefire agreement of November, established following months of intensifying violence, has been repeatedly broken, with allegations of betrayals on both sides being exchanged. The agreement (with the support of the US joining the current three-sided mechanism of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Israel, and Lebanon) was agreed to pull back along the border.
According to the agreement, all parties agreed to desist from inflammatory acts and comply with the monitoring and reporting structure set forth by UNIFIL. On the other hand, the country, Israel, has already carried out several airstrikes inside the Lebanese territory since the accord entered into force using Hezbollah as an excuse. In contrast, Lebanese authorities have opposed such actions as a breach of their sovereignty and have on numerous times requested that the international community take action to bring Israel to account.
The current attacks underline the tenuousness of the ceasefire and the area’s instability in general. Observers have cautioned that ongoing disputes continue to run the risk of restarting larger-scale fighting between Israel and Hezbollah – a situation, which could have catastrophic results for Lebanon itself, already burdened by acute political and economic woes.
Hezbollah, a powerful political and military force in Lebanon, has not issued an official response to the strikes as of Monday morning. Nevertheless, the same group has earlier indicated that it will reciprocate the violence towards any Israeli aggression.
The UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL, amongst others very active in the tension monitoring along the border itself, has not reacted so far to the latest developments, publicly speaking. There has been international concern to the escalating levels of tension, including calls for both parties to remember centers of gravity and focus more on discussion.
While the enclave watches with bated breath, the bombardment is a sober reminder of the tenuous state of peace in southern Lebanon and the ongoing struggles to understand how to preserve stability. It is to be seen whether peace will be upheld despite the growing pressure of these intensifying tensions.