Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched strikes against targets of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon late on March 16 following an alleged shooting attack near the border.
The escalation began when Hebrew media reported that an empty parked car in the northern border settlement of Avivim was hit by gunfire. The IDF said that the gunfire apparently came from Lebanon. There were no casualties. Still, Israel viewed the incident as a violation of the ceasefire brokered by the United States last November.
“Shooting at Israel from Lebanon is a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF claimed in a statement.
Lebanese media said that incident was merely the result of stray fire from the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter who was killed recently. Nevertheless, Israel rejected this with Defense Minister Israel Katz instructing the IDF to respond.
“The claim that it was an errant bullet from the funeral of a Hezbollah operative held in a nearby village is completely unacceptable,” Katz said.
He added that Israel will “not allow a reality of shooting on the residents of the north for any reason, and we will respond to any violation of the ceasefire.”
Later in the evening, a series of Israeli strikes hit the southern Lebanese towns of Yaroun, Aainata and Kafr Kila leaving at least one dead.
The IDF said that the strikes targeted a command center of Hezbollah’s elite Rudwan Force and other buildings used by the group.
“The presence of these terror infrastructure sites constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF will not allow this kind of activity and will act against it,” the military said, adding that “the IDF will strike armed terrorists in southern Lebanon, and will operate in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel.”
On the afternoon of March 17, an additional Israeli strike hit a vehicle near the town of Yohmor in southern Lebanon. At least one man was killed.
Click to see full-size image. Via X.
In a statement released later, the IDF said that it struck a pair of Hezbollah fighters who were carrying out surveillance operations and were directing “terror activity” in the area.
“The IDF just now struck Hezbollah terrorists in the Yohmor area, after they engaged in terror activities against Israel,” Katz said in a statement commenting on the strike.
“Our policy is clear: Zero tolerance toward any violation [of the ceasefire]. We will not allow any violation of the agreement and we will not allow the Hezbollah terror organization to restore its capabilities,” he added, noting that “any terrorist who tries to harm Israeli civilians is a dead man.”
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire supposed to end all clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese border by February 18. However, the IDF continues to operate against Hezbollah under the pretext of neutralizing threats to Israel security. The group, which appears to be exercising strategic patience, has so far refrained from responding.
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