At least 10 people were killed and 50 wounded in Israeli strikes in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Friday (20 February), two security sources told Reuters, after the Israeli military said it had targeted Hezbollah sites in the Baalbek area.
The head of Hezbollah has issued a statement calling for mobilisation in support of Iran, using religious language and references to armed struggle that have raised concern among regional observers.
Israel said on Thursday that its forces struck Hezbollah positions across several areas in Lebanon after accusing the group of repeated ceasefire violations.
Israel has sharply escalated its warnings to Lebanon amid rising regional tensions linked to Iran, according to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Nida Al Watan.
Israeli air strikes in Gaza and Lebanon have raised fresh concerns about the durability of ceasefire agreements, after deadly attacks were reported in both territories.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Israel carried out a targeted airstrike on Sunday in a southern suburb of Beirut, killing top military official of Hezbollah, Haytham Ali Tabtabai, the acting chief of staff, Israeli military confirmed.
Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations, accusing Hezbollah of rebuilding its forces despite a year-old ceasefire, as Lebanon and the United Nations warned of renewed border tensions.
Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had "a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation", adding that it would support the Lebanese army.
The Lebanese government must fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah and remove it from southern Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.
The U.S. has approved $230 million in aid for Lebanon’s armed and internal security forces, aiming to strengthen state control as pressure mounts on Hezbollah to disarm.
Thousands gathered in Tehran on Thursday to commemorate one year since the assassination of longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, as Iranian officials vowed defiance against the U.S. and Israel.
Lebanon’s cabinet on Friday endorsed an army plan to disarm Hezbollah as Shi’ite ministers stage walk out in protest.
Israel is prepared to support Lebanon in efforts to disarm Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Monday, following a Lebanese cabinet decision to back a U.S. disarmament plan for the Iran-backed group.
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has arrived in Beirut for his fourth visit since June, seeking to reinforce a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, days after the Cabinet backed a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state groups.
The United States has proposed a comprehensive four-phase plan that calls for Hezbollah's full disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from five positions in southern Lebanon by the end of this year.
Lebanon’s cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss the arsenal of Hezbollah, following increased pressure from the United States for ministers to commit publicly to disarming the group, amid fears of renewed Israeli strikes if they fail to do so.
A Hezbollah official says the group will not act independently in response to Israeli strikes on Iran, expressing solidarity with Tehran but stopping short of direct retaliation.
The Lebanese government has firmly warned Hezbollah against participating in Iran’s retaliation against Israel, signaling a sharp rebuke of any unilateral military action by the group.
The U.S. has pressured Lebanon to act against Hezbollah, urging the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to enforce a ceasefire. The LAF, caught between U.S. demands and Hezbollah’s influence, risks losing vital U.S. support if it fails to act.
Tensions rise along the Lebanon-Syria border after the abduction and killing of Syrian security forces. Syria accuses Hezbollah of orchestrating the attack, while the group denies involvement. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation are underway.
Israel has claimed that its army killed Mohammad Mahdi Ali Shaheen, a Hezbollah leader, in a Thursday airstrike in the eastern Lebanese region of Hermel.
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