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Israel has escalated daily attacks in Lebanon, flouting a year-long truce while claiming it is targeting Hezbollah.
Two brothers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle between the southeastern Lebanese towns of Ain Atta and Shebaa, according to Lebanon's National News Agency, in the latest flagrant violation of a year-long ceasefire.
In a separate attack on Saturday, an Israeli drone struck a car near Salah Ghandour hospital in the southern city of Bint Jbeil, injuring seven people, Lebanon's health ministry said. Two rockets hit the car in the densely populated area.
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Another Israeli drone strike, the third attack of the day, later hit a car in the Baraachit area, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.
A photo released by the agency showed smoke rising above burning wreckage on a road after the attack, which it said caused an unknown number of casualties.
The Israeli military claimed the attacks were aimed at Hezbollah targets, without providing evidence.
Despite the November 2024 ceasefire, Israel continued almost daily attacks of its northern neighbor while maintaining forces in areas around the southern.
Hezbollah says it remains committed to the ceasefire but insists it will not disarm as long as Israel occupies Lebanese territory and continues its attacks.
The European Union condemned the recent Israeli strikes in a strong statement on Saturday and called for an immediate ceasefire.
“The EU calls on Israel to end all actions that violate resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement reached a year ago in November 2024,” EU foreign affairs spokesman Anwar El-Anouni said. He urged Hezbollah and other Lebanese groups to “refrain from any measures or responses that could further inflame the situation.”
The Lebanese army accused Israel of trying to “undermine the stability of Lebanon” and prevent the full deployment of Lebanese forces in accordance with the ceasefire.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the recent spate of attacks, describing them as a “flagrant violation” of international law, while Iran denounced them as “barbaric” and called on the world community to intervene.
Israeli attacks threaten civilians
On Thursday, at least one person was killed and nine wounded in a series of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said Israel's attacks threatened civilians and undermined the Lebanese army's efforts to establish control over “unauthorized weapons and infrastructure” in southern Lebanon, possibly referring to Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, warned last week that Israel may step up operations in Lebanon.
Defense Minister Israel Katz repeated the threat, saying: “Maximum enforcement will continue and even intensify – we will not allow any threat to the residents of the north.”
Aun has convicted Israel to step up its attacks after it expressed willingness to discuss de-escalation. The Lebanese government, under intense pressure from the United States, ordered the army to draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah, a move the group condemned as “hasty” and dangerous.
Last week, Aoun instructed the armed forces to face any further Israeli incursion in the south of the country after Israeli forces crossed their shared border and killed a municipal worker in an overnight raid.
Since the ceasefire, Israel has maintained troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and has carried out regular attacks it says are targeting Hezbollah positions.
The situation remains volatile almost a year after Israel killed longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, destroying much of the group's senior leadership.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is tasked with disarming Hezbollah in the south by the end of the year before expanding operations across the country. Hezbollah insists that Israel is using this process to tighten its grip on Lebanese territory and refuses to disarm while Israel continues its attacks and occupation of Lebanese territory.
