Israel launches airstrikes in southern Lebanon on 1st anniversary of ceasefire

By Wassim Samih Seifeddine, Abdel Ra'ouf Arnaout and Rania Abu Shamala

BEIRUT/ ISTANBUL (AA) – Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday on the first anniversary of a ceasefire agreement.

The attacks targeted the towns of Mahmoudiya and Jarmak in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area, the Lebanese state news agency NNA reported.

No information was yet available about casualties.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN claimed that the attacks targeted sites where Hezbollah allegedly stored weapons.

There was no comment from Hezbollah or Lebanese authorities on the attacks.

The ceasefire was reached on Nov. 27, 2024, after more than a year of attacks between Hezbollah and Israel, which began in October 2023 and turned into a full-scale offensive in September 2024. Over 4,000 people were killed, and 17,000 others were injured in the Israeli attacks.

Under the ceasefire, the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon this January, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.