The IDF carried out airstrikes Thursday afternoon against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, as friction along the northern border continued to build and the United States worked to preserve the fragile ceasefire with the group.
Earlier in the day, IDF Arabic-language spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee issued an urgent warning to residents of several villages. He said the army would soon attack Hezbollah military infrastructure across southern Lebanon “in response to the organization’s unlawful attempts to rebuild its capabilities.” The warning was sent to residents of buildings in Jbaa and Mahrunah, and Lebanese media reported strikes there shortly afterward.
IDF strikes in southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen network, which is aligned with Hezbollah, said the attacks hit residential neighborhoods in both villages. Additional strikes were later reported near Tyre and in other communities.
The escalation came as Washington increased pressure on Israel and Lebanon to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire in the north. Officials from both countries held a rare direct meeting Wednesday in Naqoura, in southern Lebanon, focused on civilian and economic issues. Although Israel has been preparing options for a potential operation against Hezbollah amid the group’s efforts to rebuild its forces, an Israeli official said “there is no decision to move toward escalation,” emphasizing the significant role of the United States in ongoing deliberations.
On Tuesday, Military Intelligence chief Shlomi Binder briefed Morgan Ortagus, the U.S. special envoy for the Middle East and deputy to White House adviser Steve Witkoff, on Hezbollah’s growing strength and what Israel views as the Lebanese army’s limited ability or willingness to confront the group. With the conclusion of Pope Leo XIV’s historic visit to Lebanon, Israeli assessments held that the Lebanese army is neither inclined nor able to disarm Hezbollah, in part because many of its soldiers are Shiite.
The intelligence was presented during Ortagus’ meeting in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. Israeli officials told her that Hezbollah continues to smuggle short-range rockets across the Syrian border and is moving infrastructure north of the Litani River. They added that more than a year after the ceasefire took effect, Hezbollah members continue to operate openly in villages across southern Lebanon.