From the afternoon hours on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, including shafts used to store weapons at several military sites belonging to the Shiite terrorist organization.
“In recent months, Hezbollah activity was identified at these sites,” the IDF said in a statement, stressing that the activity constituted “a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
The Hezbollah reporter during the strikes in Lebanon
Footage released from Lebanon shows the moment of an airstrike taking place while a reporter for Hezbollah’s Al-Manar network was broadcasting from the area.
Widespread strikes in Lebanon
During the day, the IDF struck seven Hezbollah infrastructure sites using more than 30 munitions. Among the targets was an underground facility in the Kfar Hatta area that was used to store weapons.
Since the start of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF has killed about 400 terrorists and struck hundreds of additional terror targets, the military said. “The IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to the State of Israel,” the statement added.
Before the strikes began, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, issued a warning to residents of the village of Kfar Hatta in southern Lebanon, calling on them to evacuate the area.
“This is an urgent warning,” he said. “The IDF will soon launch another strike against Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in the village, targeting its illegal attempts to rebuild its activity there.”
Strikes in southern Lebanon
(Video: IDF)
Saudi channel Al-Hadath reported that the IDF carried out dozens of strikes, while Lebanese media said the attacks targeted multiple areas in southern Lebanon. Reports cited strikes in the areas of Barghouz, al-Aishiyeh, al-Jbour, al-Mahmoudiyeh, Jbaa, al-Bekaa and Kfar Hatta, where a so-called “fire belt” was reported.
An Israeli source told Sky News Arabia that the strikes also targeted “six Hezbollah tunnels in southern Lebanon,” saying that 25 missiles were used in the tunnel strikes.
Earlier on Sunday, the IDF said one of its drones crashed Saturday in the Lavona area of southern Lebanon due to a technical malfunction. “There is no concern over an information leak. The incident is under review,” the military said.