At least 10 people were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes on eastern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s state media on Wednesday. The attacks mark one of the deadliest escalations since the 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Among the dead was a senior Hezbollah official, the Iranian-backed group confirmed in a statement.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in the Bekaa Valley, claiming the sites violated “understandings between Israel and Lebanon” under the US- and French-brokered ceasefire deal.
Strike on Palestinian Refugee Camp
Hours before the Bekaa attack, Israel conducted another strike on the Ain al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, killing two people.
The densely populated camp sits on the outskirts of Sidon, and is Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee settlement.
In a statement on X, the Israeli army said it had hit a Hamas command centre “from which terrorists operated.”
Rising Tensions Despite Ceasefire
Israel has launched near-daily strikes across Lebanon since the November 2024 ceasefire that ended 13 months of conflict.
That agreement required both Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters to withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of its first phase.
Despite the deal, clashes have continued.
In December 2025, Israeli and Lebanese civilian envoys held their first direct talks in decades in the border town of Naqoura.
Following the meeting, the office of Benjamin Netanyahu said the discussions occurred in a “good atmosphere” and included potential economic cooperation — but stressed that Hezbollah’s disarmament remained mandatory.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, however, cautioned that Lebanon was still “far” from normalizing relations with Israel and insisted the talks were strictly aimed at reducing tensions, not diplomacy.
Hezbollah’s Position
Hezbollah, a dominant Shia political and military group with strong Iranian backing, has repeatedly stated that its confrontation with Israel will not end until Israel “has been removed from existence.”
The group is designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, the UK, and several other countries.
