Israeli forces crossed into southern Lebanon overnight, killing a municipal employee in a border town raid that prompted Lebanon’s president to order the army to confront any future incursions, state media said on Thursday.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli troops entered the town of Blida around 1:30 a.m. (2330 GMT Wednesday), stormed the town hall and killed Ibrahim Salameh, a municipal worker who had been sleeping inside. The troops withdrew about two-and-a-half hours later.
The Israeli military confirmed its forces operated in the area, saying they fired after identifying “an immediate threat” while destroying Hezbollah infrastructure. The incident was under review, it added.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack as part of “a pattern of Israeli aggression” and said it came just hours after a meeting of the committee monitoring the cessation of hostilities.
He urged the international committee to press Israel to abide by the November 2024 ceasefire agreement and halt its “repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty.”
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called the incursion “a blatant attack on the institutions and sovereignty of the Lebanese state.”
The Lebanese army has deployed to the area, while the UN peacekeeping mission said it was seeking details of the incident.
Israel has continued limited strikes and ground operations in Lebanon despite the ceasefire that ended fighting with Hezbollah nearly a year ago, saying they are aimed at preventing the group from rebuilding its military infrastructure.
Renewed Israeli strikes test Gaza ceasefire
The overnight raid in Lebanon comes as Israel faces growing pressure over its military actions in Gaza, where strikes have continued despite its stated commitment to a U.S.-backed ceasefire with Hamas.
Palestinian witnesses said Israeli planes carried out at least 10 airstrikes east of Khan Younis on Thursday, while tanks shelled areas east of Gaza City. No casualties were reported.
The Israeli military said it targeted “terrorist infrastructure that posed a threat to troops” in areas it still controls.
The latest strikes follow Israel’s bombardments earlier in the week that Gaza’s health ministry said killed 104 people, including 46 children and 20 women. Israel said it was responding to the death of a soldier killed in an attack near the “yellow line” buffer zone established under the ceasefire.
Hamas denied carrying out the attack, accusing Israel of fabricating pretexts to justify renewed assaults.
Sources close to international mediators said U.S. and regional officials intervened overnight to restore calm as both sides traded blame for violations.
The Gaza ceasefire, in effect since 10 October, is now under its most serious strain yet — and with Israel’s cross-border raid into Lebanon, fears are growing that the fragile calm could unravel into a wider confrontation across multiple fronts.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sunday that his government has no intention of pursuing a free trade agreement with China, pushing back ag...
Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the passage of people only after completing an operation to locate the body of the last rema...
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." T...
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fightin...
Around 1,700 apartment blocks in Kyiv remain without heating after a Russian missile and drone attack earlier this week, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said ...
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sunday that his government has no intention of pursuing a free trade agreement with China, pushing back against claims by President Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa deepens trade ties with Beijing.
Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the passage of people only after completing an operation to locate the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage in the enclave, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said late on Sunday.
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." Tensions are high following the fatal shooting of nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal agents.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting overseas, state media said, amid growing scrutiny of Pyongyang’s military role in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The UN Human Rights Council has condemned Iran for rights abuses and ordered an expanded investigation into a crackdown on anti-government protests that killed thousands, as Tehran warned any military attack would be treated as an all-out war.
Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi shopping mall in Pakistan on Tuesday (20 January) as they searched for people still missing after a fire that burned for nearly two days and killed at least 67 people, police said.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on 23 January there are signs Israel is still seeking an opportunity to attack Iran, warning that such a move could further destabilise the Middle East.
Germany is divided over whether to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States if U.S. President Donald Trump were to follow through on remarks about annexing Greenland, a move widely viewed in Europe as a violation of international law.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Canada is opposing the possible construction of his proposed ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system over Greenland, despite what he claimed would be security benefits for Canada.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, an incident that has triggered protests and intensified tensions between state and federal authorities.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the passage of people only after completing an operation to locate the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage in the enclave, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said late on Sunday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting overseas, state media said, amid growing scrutiny of Pyongyang’s military role in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A senior US immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." Tensions are high following the fatal shooting of nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal agents.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment