News- Middle East: Israeli warplanes have carried out a series of airstrikes on targets in southern Lebanon, in the latest breach of a fragile ceasefire with Lebanon that has held since November 2024.

The new aggression Thursday came shortly after the military ordered residents of the towns of Meiss al-Jabal, Kfar Tibnit, and Debbin in Lebanon’s southern province of Nabatieh to evacuate their homes.

The Lebanese army condemned continued Israeli violations, which have reportedly totaled more than 4,500 since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

In a statement, it said the Israeli attacks struck southern villages and other populated areas, resulting in civilian casualties and contradicting Israeli claims that the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah targets.

“These repeated violations, including incursions on land, at sea, and in the air, as well as attacks on border residents using incendiary devices and demolition of homes, obstruct the army’s operations in southern Lebanon,” the statement read.

The Lebanese army added that continued violations could hinder its planned deployments south of the Litani River. 

On Wednesday evening, two people were killed in an Israeli attack in eastern Lebanon.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said in a statement that the fatalities were reported after an Israeli aircraft struck a car in the city of Baalbek.

After nearly 14 months of war marked by heavy losses and the failure to achieve its objectives in the aggression against Lebanon, Israel was forced to agree to a ceasefire with Hezbollah, which came into effect on November 27.

Since then, Israeli forces have been carrying out attacks on Lebanon, which involve airstrikes, thus breaching the ceasefire.

On January 27, Lebanon announced its decision to extend the ceasefire with Israel until February 18.

Nonetheless, Israel maintains its occupation of five important locations in southern Lebanon, including Labbouneh, Mount Blat, Owayda Hill, Aaziyyeh, and Hammamis Hill, all of which are located near the border.

Despite almost daily Israeli airstrikes and ongoing breaches of Lebanese airspace and sovereignty, Hezbollah continues to be the sole credible military entity capable of challenging the occupation and thwarting additional Israeli intrusions.

As demands from Washington and Israel to disarm the Lebanese resistance group intensify, numerous individuals within the Arab nation contend that such attempts overlook the fundamental problem of Israel's ongoing infringements on Lebanese sovereignty.

Source: Press TV