Israel Mounts Strikes on Southern Lebanon; Drone Reportedly Targets Lebanese Worker at Water Well, Allegedly Breaching Ceasefire Agreement
Israeli Air Raids in South Lebanon Kill Two, Intensifying Violations of Ceasefire Agreement
Israeli military operations in south Lebanon continue to violate a ceasefire agreement, as further air raids on Thursday killed at least two individuals. The Lebanese National News Agency reported the incidents, stating that one person was killed in an attack near several towns, including Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Beit Lif, and al-Sarira. Another fatality was reported by the Lebanese Health Ministry in Kfar Kila on the border, following an attack by Israeli forces.
The air strikes targeted various regions of southern Lebanon, with low-flying Israeli jets and drones reported in multiple locations. In a particularly notable incident, a drone strike in Nabatieh al-Fawqa killed a municipal worker, Mahmoud Hasan Atwi, as he worked on a water well. Mayor Zein Ali Ghandour denounced the act as blatant aggression against civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The Israeli military claimed that their strikes targeted a Hezbollah operative allegedly rehabilitating a site used by the group. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, another individual was wounded by Israeli gunfire in a separate incident in Beit Lif.
This escalation comes amidst Israel's near-daily attacks on Lebanon, which have primarily resulted in civilian casualties and injuries. The latest series of air strikes follows a wave of attacks across south Lebanon last week, which targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, as well as regular firing at fields and civilian homes along the border. In an earlier attack on Thursday, a drone dropped a stun grenade in Beit Lif, injuring at least one individual.
The Israeli military contends that their attacks enforce the ceasefire, which requires Hezbollah to move its forces to the north of the Litani River. However, the Israeli military has been carrying out strikes across Lebanon, not just south of the river, and Israel has even bombed the capital Beirut multiple times this year.
Since the end of the war, Hezbollah has refrained from responding to Israeli violations, instead using diplomatic channels to allow the Lebanese state to try to stop the attacks. While expressing patience, the group has hinted that its patience may not last indefinitely.
Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, have repeatedly called on France and the United States, the main sponsors of the ceasefire deal, to put pressure on Israel to end its abuses. However, calls for Hezbollah to disarm, as demanded by the US, have been met with hesitance by Aoun, who views the issue as delicate.
Amidst the ongoing tensions, it remains unclear whether Hezbollah is capable of confronting Israel militarily as it has in the past. The group's leadership, including its longtime chief, Hassan Nasrallah, suffered heavy losses during the war. Most recently, an Israeli strike assassinated a Hezbollah official and three others in the Beirut suburbs of Dahiyeh earlier in April.
The volatile situation in Lebanon is further complicated by the upcoming municipal elections in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah is seeking to gain popular support. Despite the escalating tensions, there have been no significant escalations from Hezbollah so far, suggesting a strategic, cautious approach on their part.
- Breaking news: escalating war-and-conflicts in the Middle East as Israeli Air Raids in South Lebanon intensify, violating the ceasefire agreement, killing at least two individuals and wounding another.
- In the general news, it's reported that the baghdad-born municipal worker, Mahmoud Hasan Atwi, was killed by an Israeli drone strike while working on a water well in Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
- Politics and crime-and-justice intertwine as Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, call on France and the United States to put pressure on Israel to end its abuses, while the US continues to demand Hezbollah's disarmament.
- Sports betting enthusiasts might find it interesting to note that the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Lebanon could potentially impact tourism and foreign investments, affecting the sports industry in the region.
