’Israel’ Steps Up Attacks On Lebanon with Airstrikes, Direct Fire

By Staff, Agencies

The "Israeli" occupation continues to violate Lebanon’s sovereignty and the November 17, 2024, ceasefire through daily attacks and incursions, especially in the South and Bekaa regions.

The "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF] fired machine guns from Al-Abbad and Tal al-Hamams sites toward Houla, Mays al-Jabal, and Sardah farm, while a drone dropped a sound bomb over al-Dhaira early Monday.

Moreover, an "Israeli" Merkava tank carried out a deliberate military provocation outside the border wall near the "Misgav Am" settlement, prompting heightened alert by the Lebanese Army in the area.

The "Israeli" airstrikes, aimed at pressuring Lebanon into disarmament, hit repeatedly targeted areas in South Lebanon, including Iqlim al-Tuffah, al-Rayhan, al-Mahmoudiyah, Barghaz, and Ansar.

Earlier this month, the Lebanese Army advanced its weapons-control plan but said "Israeli" attacks and unexploded ordnance hinder operations in the south.

In a statement, the Army said the first phase of its five-phase “Shield of the Nation” plan achieved its objectives “effectively and tangibly on the ground,” noting that the phase concentrated on expanding the force’s operational presence, securing vital sites, and extending operational control over areas south of the Litani River.

The Army noted that this excludes areas still under "Israeli" occupation, and that the effort is part of implementing the government’s decision to restore the state’s authority across Lebanon, taken on August 5, 2025.

The Lebanese Army warned that "Israeli" strikes, territorial occupation, buffer zones, and delayed military support are hindering operations and state authority near the border.

The statement further called for urgent and serious measures to address these constraints so the Army can carry out subsequent coordinated phases “responsibly” and “gradually” in line with Lebanese national interest.