The Israeli army intensified its strikes across southern Lebanon on Monday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an escalation of military operations aimed at “crushing” Hezbollah.
Image: Al Jazeera
The renewed offensive comes amid ongoing efforts by the United States and Iran to finalize a broader agreement to ease tensions in the Middle East, potentially including the Lebanon front where Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement have been engaged in conflict since March 2.
Despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 17, cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have continued almost daily.
In a video statement shared on Telegram, Netanyahu said he had ordered a further acceleration of military operations. “They are attacking us with drones, including fibre-optic drones, but we are working on countermeasures and we will solve this issue,” he said. “We will intensify our blows, increase our firepower, and we will crush them.”
Following the announcement, residents were seen fleeing Beirut’s southern suburbs, a known Hezbollah stronghold, according to AFP correspondents.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli warplanes launched successive strikes in the Bekaa Valley on Monday evening. Earlier in the day, dozens of strikes targeted towns and villages in southern Lebanon, killing three people travelling in two cars and on a motorcycle. Additional air raids were reported near the ancient city of Tyre.
Israel also issued evacuation warnings for 10 Lebanese villages, accusing Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire agreement. Israeli military spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee said the army was “compelled to operate with force” against Hezbollah positions.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several drone attacks on Israeli military sites on Monday, saying the strikes were in response to Israel’s ceasefire violations. The group said it targeted three barracks and a military post in northern Israel.
According to Lebanese authorities, more than 3,100 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since early March. The Israeli military also confirmed the death of one soldier in southern Lebanon, bringing the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the conflict began to 23.
Meanwhile, far-right Israeli ministers called for an expanded military campaign in Lebanon. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said “for every explosive drone strike, 10 buildings must fall in Beirut,” while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir demanded a return to “intensive warfare.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday defended his decision to hold talks with Israel but insisted that a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon remained “non-negotiable.”
Another round of Lebanon-Israel negotiations is scheduled to take place in Washington on June 2 and 3, following a meeting between military officials from both countries at the Pentagon on May 29.
