🚨 Fresh airstrikes rocked southern Lebanon on Thursday as Israel targeted Hezbollah positions near the Blue Line. The military warned residents in Al-Tayyiba, Tayr Debba and Aita al-Jabal to evacuate before the raids began.
The strikes killed one person and wounded eight in Toura, plus one injury in Tayr Debba, according to local sources. Heavy traffic jammed roads as families fled, and several private schools in Nabatieh closed to protect students and teachers.
Analysts call this part of Israel’s “pressure by fire” campaign against Hezbollah—small bursts of force to push political or military goals without sparking full-scale war. 📈 So far, over 20 operations racked up since early November, from air raids to artillery shelling and even some demolitions.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese army says it’s clearing weapons and militants south of the Litani River, completing 90% of its first-phase mission by year-end. They’ve set up 118 positions and smashed dozens of tunnels.
On the political front, Hezbollah sent an open letter to Lebanon’s President Aoun, Parliament Speaker Berri and Prime Minister Salam, warning against any “negotiation traps” with Israel. They reject disarmament demands as “unacceptable”—a line not in the 2024 ceasefire deal.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon urged both sides to keep channels open and avoid miscalculations. After all, a ceasefire has been in place since Nov 27, 2024, but occasional strikes risk sliding back into full confrontation.
Lebanese analyst Nidal Issa sums it up: this is Israel’s way of imposing its terms before things escalate further. Hezbollah’s goal? Keep the deterrence balance without getting pulled into all-out war. Stay tuned as tensions simmer at the edge of a new confrontation. 👀
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Fresh Israeli airstrikes hit S. Lebanon, testing fragile ceasefire
cgtn.com
