by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a sweeping series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley on Monday, targeting what it described as Hezbollah sites used for rocket launches and the production and storage of strategic weapons. The attacks marked one of the most extensive Israeli operations in Lebanon in months, killing at least three Hezbollah operatives in the past 24 hours, according to the military.
Lebanese media reported multiple waves of Israeli airstrikes throughout the day, including in Nabatiyeh, Baissariyeh, and the Beqaa Valley. The IDF later confirmed the strikes, saying they were coordinated with Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate and carried out by the Air Force under Northern Command.
“These strikes were aimed at neutralizing weapons directed toward Israel and preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its terror infrastructure,” an IDF spokesperson said. “We will continue to act against any threat that violates the ceasefire understandings.”
The Lebanese health ministry said one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a vehicle on the main highway in Baissariyeh. AFP journalists at the scene reported a bombed-out car along the Sidon–Tyre road, with emergency crews working to recover remains.
Among those killed was Samir Ali Fakih, a Hezbollah operative involved in smuggling weapons for the Iranian-backed group. The IDF said Fakih was killed in an airstrike near the southern Lebanese town of Srifa. Two additional Hezbollah operatives were reportedly killed in earlier strikes on Sunday in Houmine El Faouqa and as-Sawana.
In total, the IDF says it has eliminated at least 15 Hezbollah operatives since the beginning of November, calling their activities a direct threat to Israeli security.
The latest escalation follows Israel’s warning last week that it would intensify operations if Hezbollah is not fully disarmed by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Under the terms of the November 2024 ceasefire, Lebanon’s army is tasked with dismantling Hezbollah’s military capabilities in the south. However, Israeli officials have accused Beirut of moving too slowly, while Lebanese commanders have resisted Israeli demands to conduct door-to-door searches for hidden weapons, citing fears of civil unrest.
Lebanese sources told local media that Israeli airstrikes on Monday extended deep into the Beqaa Valley, including near the towns of Janta and al-Hermel — areas long suspected of housing Hezbollah’s weapons depots and manufacturing facilities. Additional strikes were reported in Nabatiyeh and al-Jarmak, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and combat equipment.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV aired footage it claimed showed Israeli forces constructing a new concrete barrier along the border near the Israeli community of Avivim, allegedly extending one to two kilometers into Lebanese territory. The IDF did not immediately comment on the report.
The current flare-up comes just over a year after the end of the Israel–Hezbollah conflict that erupted in October 2023, one day after Hamas’s attack on southern Israel. That war left Hezbollah severely weakened, and Israel launched a limited ground operation before the U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in late 2024.
While the ceasefire required Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, it has maintained troops at five strategic posts, citing ongoing Hezbollah activity in the area. Lebanese officials say this has hindered their ability to assert full control over the region.
An Israeli official told Saudi-based Al-Arabiya that “work continues to remove every Hezbollah threat,” signaling that further strikes could follow if Hezbollah continues rebuilding its arsenal.
Hezbollah, for its part, has vowed not to lay down its arms. Despite Lebanon’s internal push to disarm the group, the Iran-backed militia remains entrenched across much of southern Lebanon, where recent Israeli intelligence suggests it has resumed operations in violation of ceasefire agreements.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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