Israel Threatens to Intensify Strikes in Southern Lebanon

Israel warned on Sunday that its armed forces would intensify strikes against the Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon, just a day after the Lebanese health ministry reported four casualties from an Israeli airstrike, AFP reported.

Despite a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah signed in November 2024, Israel continues to maintain troops in five sectors of southern Lebanon and regularly conducts strikes.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated, "Hezbollah is playing with fire, while the Lebanese president is hesitating. The Lebanese government's obligation to disarm Hezbollah and remove it from southern Lebanon must be fulfilled. Maximum pressure will continue and even increase; we will not tolerate any threat to our northern residents."

Thousands of Israelis living near the northern border with Lebanon have been forced to flee their homes for months as Hezbollah began shelling Israel following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023.

This has resulted in a conflict lasting over a year, peaking in an open war that lasted two months before the signing of the ceasefire agreement. In September 2024, Israel killed the movement's longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, along with several other senior leaders.

After the ceasefire, the United States intensified pressure on the Lebanese authorities to demand the disarmament of the movement, which Hezbollah and its allies oppose. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has never stopped airstrikes towards Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah positions. In recent days, the strikes have significantly increased.