Israel Launches Strikes on Hezbollah Positions Amid Ceasefire Tensions
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Synopsis
The Israel Defense Forces have targeted Hezbollah facilities in southern Lebanon while remaining compliant with a ceasefire agreement. Despite the ceasefire deadline approaching, Israeli forces will continue operations due to security concerns. Additionally, recent airstrikes have resulted in Palestinian casualties in the West Bank, escalating tensions in the region.
Key Takeaways
- IDF strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
- Ceasefire agreement requires Israeli withdrawal.
- Israeli forces to remain beyond the ceasefire deadline.
- Two Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike in the West Bank.
- Conflict escalated since October 2023.
Jerusalem, Jan 25 (NationPress) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it has executed strikes against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon recently, focusing on weapons storage facilities and observation posts utilized by the group.
In a statement, the IDF indicated that its Northern Command forces undertook these operations to "eliminate threats" while remaining compliant with the ceasefire agreement established between Israel and Lebanon. The military continues to be stationed in southern Lebanon, keeping an eye on Hezbollah’s activities and ready to react to any threats against Israeli troops or the nation, the statement further noted.
The ceasefire agreement, which came into effect on November 27, 2024, mandates Israel to withdraw all forces from southern Lebanon by Sunday. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office remarked on Friday that troops would remain past the deadline, citing the Lebanese army’s inability to establish full control over the area and Hezbollah’s incomplete withdrawal north of the Litani River, as reported by Xinhua.
The Lebanese side has consistently accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire over the last two months.
In another development, two Palestinians were killed on Friday due to an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in Qabatiya, located south of Jenin in the northern West Bank.
Kamal Abu al-Rub, the governor of Jenin, mentioned that an Israeli drone struck the vehicle near the town’s medical complex, completely engulfing the vehicle in flames. He identified the deceased as Mahmoud Kamil and Hamoud Zakarneh.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) validated the strike, stating it was part of a counterterrorism initiative in the northern West Bank over the preceding four days, involving the IDF, Israel Security Agency, and Border Police forces.
The latest casualties have brought the total number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army since the large-scale military operation in Jenin to 14, according to Abu al-Rub.
The Israeli army initiated the campaign, dubbed "Iron Wall," on Tuesday to dismantle what it labels as "terrorist organizations" and to maintain military authority in the West Bank.
Tensions in the West Bank have surged since October 2023, when hostilities erupted between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups have resulted in the deaths of over 800 Palestinians in the West Bank since then, as per the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
