By Staff, Agencies

“Israeli” warplanes carried out fresh airstrikes across eastern and southern Lebanon on Friday, hitting areas in the Bekaa Valley and southern regions, triggering powerful explosions and thick smoke, in a continued pattern of ceasefire violations.

Targets included the Zghrin mountains on the outskirts of Hermel, where footage showed dense smoke rising after the strikes.

"Israeli" aircraft were also seen flying at very low altitude over Baalbek and northern Bekaa.
Additional air raids struck the Besliyeh area on the outskirts of Jbaa in Jezzine district, as well as areas near the town of Kfarmelki in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s National News Agency [NNA] similarly confirmed a “series of airstrikes” by "Israeli" aircraft on mountainous regions in the Nabatiyeh and Jezzine districts in the south, and in Hermel district in eastern Lebanon.

In a statement, the "Israeli" military claimed strikes hit weapons depots and a training complex. Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the raids targeted what he described as “a training compound belonging to the Radwan Force unit and several weapons warehouses,” a claim Lebanese sources did not independently verify.

Despite the November 2024 ceasefire, "Israeli" forces have continued near-daily attacks in Lebanon and remain deployed at five border locations in violation of the truce.

According to an AFP tally based on Lebanese health ministry figures, more than 340 people have been claimed by "Israeli" fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect.

Friday’s strikes came just one day after similar "Israeli" attacks near the Syrian border and in southern Lebanon claimed three people.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon [UNIFIL] has documented the scale of "Israeli" violations since the truce began, reporting more than 7,500 airspace violations and nearly 2,500 land breaches.

Tensions have steadily escalated in southern Lebanon as “Israel” continues air raids, claiming it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

Lebanese officials and observers argue the strikes undermine the ceasefire and worsen instability.

Between October 2023 and November 2024, "Israeli" attacks martyred more than 3,961 people in Lebanon, including 736 women, 222 health and rescue workers, and 248 children, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

Under the ceasefire agreement, "Israeli" forces were expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January, but the pullout has remained incomplete.

Meanwhile, diplomatic pressure has intensified on Beirut. On December 18, French, Saudi and US officials met in Paris with the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces to discuss a roadmap for disarming Hezbollah.

The Resistance group has repeatedly said it will not disarm as long as "Israeli" forces occupy parts of southern Lebanon and continue to launch attacks, warning that ongoing violations risk collapsing the already fragile truce.