Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to continue striking "with an iron fist" against any perceived Hezbollah violations of the current ceasefire.
Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the warning, stating that if the fragile truce collapses, Israel's military campaign will expand to include not only Hezbollah but also the Lebanese state itself.
Netanyahu said at the start of a government meeting on Tuesday "At the moment we are in a ceasefire, I note—a ceasefire, not the end of the war. We have a clear goal to return the residents, to rehabilitate the north."
He continued "We are enforcing this ceasefire with an iron fist, acting against any violation, minor or major."
Is Israel Still Attacking Targets Outside Gaza?
Israeli forces conducted multiple drone and artillery strikes in Lebanon on Tuesday, including one that reportedly killed a person, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry and state media. The attacks further strained the already fragile ceasefire, which was intended to bring an end to over a year of conflict with Hezbollah.
With Tuesday's fatality, Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began have claimed at least 15 lives in Lebanon.
The Israeli military also said it carried out an airstrike in Syria on Tuesday, targeting a senior Hezbollah operative allegedly responsible for coordinating with the Syrian military to rearm and resupply the Lebanese group. While Israel has frequently struck Hezbollah-linked targets in Syria, this marked a rare public acknowledgment of such an operation. Syrian state media reported that the attack, conducted by an Israeli drone, struck a car in a Damascus suburb, killing one person.
Why Is Israel Attacking Targets in Lebanon?
Since the two-month ceasefire in Lebanon took effect last Wednesday, the U.S.- and French-brokered agreement has been repeatedly shaken by near-daily Israeli strikes. Israel has cited alleged Hezbollah violations as justification for the attacks but has offered little detail about the nature of these breaches, leaving the truce on increasingly unstable ground.
The ceasefire agreement requires Hezbollah to withdraw its fighters, weapons, and infrastructure from a large area in southern Lebanon by the end of the initial 60-day phase, relocating north of the Litani River. In return, Israeli troops are expected to withdraw to their side of the border, marking a mutual effort to de-escalate tensions in the region.
Katz vowed on Tuesday that any violations of the ceasefire would face "a maximum response and zero tolerance." Addressing troops stationed on Israel's northern border, Katz warned that if hostilities resume, Israel would expand its strikes beyond Hezbollah-controlled areas, stating, "There will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon." His remarks signal a readiness to escalate military actions should the fragile truce collapse.
Trump Wades Into the Gaza Conflict
On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump issued a stark demand for the immediate release of up to 100 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Taking to social media, Trump warned that failure to free the hostages before his inauguration in January would result in "HELL TO PAY."
On his Truth Social platform, Trump said if the hostages were not released, "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!"
On Monday, Israel announced the death of one hostage, Capt. Omer Neutra, 21, from New York.
On Wednesday, Palestinian medics reported that an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip killed at least five people, including four children.
The Awda Hospital in central Gaza stated that the victims were gathered outside shelters in the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp at the time of the strike. The hospital also reported that 15 others, mostly children, were injured. The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incident.
How Did the Current Conflict Faced by Israel Begin?
The current conflict Israel is facing began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israeli territory. The attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, primarily civilians, and 250 hostages being taken into Gaza.
More than a year of Israeli military operations against Hamas has caused over 44,500 deaths in Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities. While these reports do not differentiate between combatants and civilians, more than half the casualties are reported to be women and children.
Iran-backed Hezbollah escalated tensions by firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas. This initial phase of low-level clashes developed into a full-scale conflict after Israel launched a ground invasion into Lebanon on Oct. 1, 2024.
The war has had devastating consequences in Lebanon, with over 3,760 fatalities and 1.2 million people displaced, according to Lebanese officials. Israel reports killing over 2,000 Hezbollah fighters, while casualties on the Israeli side include 90 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians due to rocket and drone attacks, as well as ground combat in Lebanon. Additionally, around 50,000 Israelis in the north have been displaced by the fighting.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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