Israeli airstrikes pummel several towns in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Monday evening despite a ceasefire agreement, Lebanese media reported.

Fighter jets struck the towns of Az-Zrariyah and Kfar Melki in Sidon province and Ansar and Ezza towns in Nabatieh, the state news agency NNA reported.

The Israeli army confirmed the strikes, saying that its jets hit what it called Hezbollah military sites containing rockets and missile launchers and weapons storage facilities in these areas.

No information was yet available about injuries or damage.

There was no comment from Hezbollah on the Israeli claim.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since November, which ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 217 victims and injuries to more than 500.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.