Shafaq News – Beirut (Updated at 15:36)
Israeli warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes across eastern and southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to Lebanese media reports.
In eastern Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, three strikes targeted the Zighrine highlands, while separate raids hit the mountainous areas of Tarya and Boudai.
In southern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes hit several areas in Iqlim Al-Tuffah and the Litani River corridor between two villages.
The extent of material damage and any casualties remained unclear, while fighter jets and drones were reported flying over Beirut’s southern suburbs and parts of southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the Israeli military alleged that the strikes targeted a Hezbollah camp and military buildings and destroyed infrastructure and launch platforms used by the group.
Separately, an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in the town of Taybeh, also in the south. The Israeli military claimed the attack killed a Hezbollah member, while the Lebanese health Ministry confirmed four injuries.
Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri described the strikes as a political message linked to international diplomacy. He said the raids coincided with preparations for a Paris conference aimed at supporting the Lebanese Army and came alongside a “ring of fire” ahead of a scheduled meeting of the International Monitoring and Implementation Mechanism (IMIM), a body that brings together Lebanon, Israel, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), under US-French sponsorship, to oversee the November 2024 ceasefire’s implementation.
The developments also came ahead of the arrival of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly for a two-day visit, which Lebanese media described as focused on reinforcing security and preventing further escalation.
Despite a US-brokered ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued to carry out regular strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs (Dahiye). Israel also maintains troops at five positions south of the Litani River, areas from which Lebanon has demanded a full withdrawal. UNIFIL has recorded more than 10,000 Israeli ceasefire violations, while Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports that the attacks have killed at least 340 people and injured more than 970 others since the agreement.