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The Israeli Defence Forces on Saturday said that the fresh strikes in Lebanon were made in retaliation to Hezbollah's "repeated and ongoing violations of the ceasefire," while maintaining that it remains committed to protecting its civilians and forces.
In a post on X, the Israeli Air Force claimed that Hezbollah launched over 50 strikes on Israeli forces, adding that the forces retaliated by striking dozens of "terrorist infrastructures" and terrorists in overnight strikes. "In several different incidents throughout the night, the terrorist organization Hezbollah launched more than 50 launches toward IDF forces operating in southern Lebanon. These constitute repeated and ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement by the terrorist organization Hezbollah. The IDF will not tolerate harm to Israeli civilians or its forces, and will respond forcefully to any use of force against them," the IAF wrote in the post. The forces stated that the targeted strikes were carried out on rocket launch positions, weapons storage facilities, and command centres in southern Lebanon. Expressing adherence to the ceasefire agreement, the IAF stated that it will continue its actions to "remove any threat" from the Israeli civilians and forces. "In order to remove threats and in response to the blatant violations by the terrorist organization Hezbollah, the Air Force struck dozens of terrorist infrastructures and terrorists from the terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon overnight. Among the targets struck were rocket launch positions, weapons storage facilities, and command centers. The IDF is committed to the ceasefire agreement in accordance with the directives of the political echelon, and will continue to act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and IDF forces," it added. https://x.com/IAFsite/status/2068295343851131327 On the other hand, the militant group Hezbollah, in a statement, said it attacked Israeli forces attempting to advance in southern Lebanon, while stating that it has "adhered to the ceasefire" since Friday afternoon, according to the Times of Israel. According to Times of Israel, Hezbollah said that Israeli troops again attempted to capture the Ali Taher ridge, near Nabatieh, during an overnight raid. Hezbollah also affirmed its commitment to the ceasefire, while stating that "it will not tolerate any attempt by the enemy to seize land and expand its occupation," the Times of Israel reported. Meanwhile, the death toll in the ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon's Nabatieh district has risen to 16 on Saturday. The Times of Israel, citing Lebanon's civil defence agency, reported that the strikes have left 12 people injured, who have been admitted to the hospital by the civil defence personnel. It further said that seven people have been killed and 13 have been injured in an Israeli airstrike in the town of Qennarit, near Sidon. As peace hangs by a precipice amid the recently inked MoU between Iran and the US, strikes on Lebanon may further complicate the process. (ANI)
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