Post by : Meena Ariff

In a series of airstrikes on Monday and early Tuesday, Israel's air force targeted areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, including Sidon, the country’s third-largest city.

Around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, a three-story commercial structure in Sidon’s coastal district was destroyed. This unoccupied building, situated in an area with various workshops and mechanic shops, led to one individual being transported to a nearby hospital, while rescue operations searched for additional victims. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of fatalities.

On the previous day, Israel struck multiple sites in southern and eastern Lebanon, citing their utilization by militants from Hezbollah and Hamas. These airstrikes followed warnings issued in Arabic by the Israeli military spokesperson regarding possible attacks on villages in the eastern Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. The strikes in Sidon were unannounced, and the Israeli military has yet to comment on them.

Notably, a residence in the village of Manara located in the Bekaa Valley was hit; this home belonged to Sharhabil al-Sayed, a Hamas military leader killed in a drone strike by Israel back in May 2024. After warnings, the targeted areas were evacuated, and no casualties were registered. Additionally, earlier on Monday, a drone strike in Braikeh injured two individuals, with Israel claiming the assault targeted Hezbollah militants.

Since last year, the Lebanese army has begun disarming Palestinian armed factions, and the government has pledged to dismantle Hezbollah’s military presence from the Litani region near the Israeli border by the end of 2025. A meeting to discuss Hezbollah’s disarmament is on the agenda for Thursday, featuring army commander Gen. Rudolph Haikal.

The airstrikes on Monday were conducted in villages situated north of the Litani River, a considerable distance from the Israeli frontier. These disarmament initiatives arise following a 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which ignited on October 8, 2023, when Hamas targeted southern Israel. Hezbollah retaliated with rocket fire, provoking significant Israeli bombardments and a ground invasion by September 2024. The conflict culminated in a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. in November 2024.

Post-ceasefire, Israel has executed near-daily airstrikes primarily aimed at Hezbollah personnel. According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, these operations have resulted in at least 127 civilian casualties.

#Global News