On Saturday, Israel fired deadly airstrikes on Lebanon after rockets were launched from the country. A girl and another person were killed in the town of Touline due to the Israeli attacks. This was the most serious fighting we’ve seen since a ceasefire on November 27. Earlier in the day, Israel said three rockets were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel. Thankfully, all of them were intercepted, and air raid sirens sounded in Israel for the first time since November.
Hezbollah, the militant group in Lebanon, said they had nothing to do with the rocket fire, calling Israel’s accusations excuses for attacking Lebanon. They stated they support the Lebanese government in dealing with these tensions. The Lebanese Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, warned that the country might fall into a new war.
Israeli officials, however, said they hold the Lebanese government responsible for any attacks from their territory. Defence Minister Israel Katz emphasized that they cannot allow any fire from Lebanon towards towns in northern Israel, which had seen evacuations due to the Hamas conflict that began in October 2023.
In response to the rocket fire, Israeli airstrikes targeted several southern areas in Lebanon, causing casualties. The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon expressed concern over the increase in violence and urged all sides to maintain calm.
Hezbollah has been very influential in southern Lebanon, but its strength was significantly reduced during its last conflict with Israel. Under a ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah was supposed to withdraw its forces and dismantle military positions close to the border, while Israel was also expected to reduce its military presence.
The recent clashes are part of a wider situation, as Israel has renewed its military actions in Gaza against Hamas. Israel’s Defence Minister announced plans to seize more territory in Gaza, escalating tensions further.
Hamas responded by insisting they are willing to release all hostages as part of a ceasefire but accused the U.S. of twisting facts about their intentions. A tense atmosphere exists as negotiations for a lasting peace remain complicated.
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