Israel's Air Force Strikes Lebanon, Targeting Hezbollah and Hamas Sites
SIDON, LEBANON (AP) - In a series of air strikes on Monday and Tuesday, Israel's air force targeted areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, including Sidon, the country's third-largest city. The strikes came just days before Lebanon's army commander was set to brief the government on its mission to disarm the militant group Hezbollah in areas along the border with Israel.
The attacks sparked condemnation from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who stated that they were counter to international efforts to de-escalate hostilities and Lebanon's own efforts to extend government authority and disarm militants. The targeted building, located in a commercial district, was uninhabited, and no deaths were reported, though at least one person was transported by ambulance.
Israel's military claimed the strikes were on weapons storage sites and infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah and Hamas, acknowledging that the sites were in civilian areas but blaming the groups for their presence. These strikes are part of near-daily Israeli military action since a ceasefire was signed over a year ago, with Lebanon pledging to disarm militant groups, a promise Israel says has not been fulfilled.
The warnings were issued by Avichay Adraee, Israel's military Arabic language spokesman, on X, just hours before the strikes. The areas were evacuated, and no casualties were reported in those strikes. Earlier on Monday, a drone strike on a car in the southern village of Braikeh wounded two people, with the Israeli military claiming it targeted two Hezbollah members.
The Lebanese government has initiated the disarmament process of Palestinian groups and aims to clear Hezbollah's armed presence from areas close to the border with Israel by the end of 2025. The disarmament of Hezbollah and other Palestinian groups follows a 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, which resulted in the death of much of Hezbollah's political and military leadership.
The latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict began in October 2023 when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, following Hamas's attack on southern Israel. Israel's widespread bombardment and ground invasion in September 2024 severely weakened Hezbollah. The war ended in November 2024 with a ceasefire brokered by the U.S., but Israel has continued almost daily airstrikes, mainly targeting Hezbollah members, resulting in the deaths of at least 127 civilians.
