Israel strikes Lebanon, but hopes ceasefire will hold
The Israeli army has confirmed striking at several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response to Hezbollah firing at Israeli forces in the occupied Shebaa Farms.
This comes in the context of Israel’s unique and unilateral interpretation of the ceasefire agreement, whereby Israel has given itself the right to enforce that agreement with “fire”.
Those were the words of the Israeli army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who said, “We will maintain the ceasefire with fire”, meaning that Israel can strike at Hezbollah on Lebanese territory and beyond.
Israel views any infraction, any movement, any activity of Hezbollah as a violation that it has the right to respond to. This does not really jive with the American interpretation of the ceasefire.
The US is saying that despite the infractions, the ceasefire continues to hold. US envoy Amos Hochstein, however, has expressed frustration and fear that these Israeli attacks could threaten this fragile ceasefire.
In the meantime, Israel is striking but is still hoping that this ceasefire would hold. The government has scheduled a cabinet meeting in the northern communities to assure those hesitant residents that their decision not to go back to their communities has no foundation. That meeting of the cabinet is still going to go ahead on schedule.
Israeli attack kills journalist of Lebanon’s Al-Nour Radio: Report
Lebanon’s Al-Nour Radio announces that its journalist Ali Hassan Ashour has been killed in an Israeli attack. The media outlet did not specify the exact time or the location of the attack that killed its employee. The news was picked up by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).
Lebanon’s Tyre, Bint Jbeil witness Israeli ceasefire violations: Report
Israeli warplanes have carried out a series of attacks on a number of villages and towns in southern Lebanon’s Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts, according to the country’s National News Agency (NNA).
The agency said Israel “returned to launching flares and thermal balloons” before dawn over the village of Aita al-Shaab in the Nabatieh governorate.
Israel attacks village in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh: Report
An Israeli drone has targeted the village of Beit Lif in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh governorate amid the ceasefire with the Hezbollah armed group, according to the country’s National News Agency (NNA). There were no immediate reports on the result of the attack.
Death toll rises in Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon’s Haris
We reported yesterday, based on information from Lebanon’s Health Ministry, that five people were killed and two others injured in renewed Israeli attacks on the town of Haris in southern Lebanon.
The ministry now reports that six people were killed and two injured in the town, according to the country’s official National News Agency (NNA). The announcement raised the total death toll from the Israeli attacks on Lebanon yesterday to 12.
Israel strikes car on Syria’s Damascus airport road: State media
The Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a police source, has reported an Israeli strike on a car on Syria’s Damascus airport road.
The agency did not have information on casualties, but Syria’s Halab Today TV said at least one person was killed in the attack, which took place near the Aqraba town bridge.
One killed in Israeli strike on southern Lebanon’s Shebaa
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says one person has been killed in an Israeli drone attack on the town of Shebaa.
Both Israel and Hezbollah have accused each other of violation of the 60-day truce deal that entered into force on November 27. The latest attack brings the total number of people killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon in the past 24 hours to at least 10.
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