Netanyahu Orders 'Vigorous Attack' on Hezbollah in Lebanon Amid Ceasefire Strain

Lebanon — Ekhbary News Agency

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed his military to "vigorously attack Hezbollah targets" in Lebanon, a move that comes just two days after a fragile ceasefire agreement was extended by three weeks. This order followed a series of fresh Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least six people. The renewed cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have significantly strained the recently extended truce, underscoring its precarious nature.

Escalation and Casualties in Southern Lebanon

The escalation on Saturday saw Israeli forces conduct strikes on a truck and a motorbike in Yohmor al-Shaqeef, Nabatieh district, killing four individuals, according to Lebanon's health ministry via Agence-France-Presse. Additionally, two more people were killed and 17 injured in an attack on Safad al-Battikh in the Bint Jbeil district. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated it "eliminated" three Hezbollah members in a "vehicle loaded with weapons" and another on a motorcycle, alongside two more armed members in the Litani area, citing threats to IDF soldiers. Hezbollah, for its part, claimed it targeted an Israeli army vehicle in south Lebanon in retaliation for the Yohmor al-Shaqeef attack.

Ceasefire Fragility and Journalist Safety Concerns

Following Netanyahu's directive, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported multiple Israeli strikes across the Bint Jbeil, Tyre, and Nabatieh districts. The Israeli military confirmed striking "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure used for military purposes across southern Lebanon," asserting its continued decisive operations against threats. Meanwhile, an international press advocacy group, the Media Freedom Coalition, condemned attacks on journalists in Lebanon as "unacceptable" after a journalist was among those killed in Israeli attacks on Wednesday. The UK and Finland, co-chairs of the coalition, strongly condemned all violence against media workers, following an Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured photographer Zeinab Faraj.