The Israeli military conducted air strikes in Lebanon on Saturday against Hezbollah activities deemed a threat, despite a fragile ceasefire in place. The army reported that it targeted “military infrastructure” along the Syria-Lebanon border, accusing Hezbollah of smuggling weapons in violation of the ceasefire agreement that had been active for only a few days.
In a statement, the military confirmed four separate strikes in Lebanon targeting facilities, weapons, and vehicles belonging to Hezbollah. The strikes were justified as necessary to prevent activities threatening the State of Israel and violating ceasefire terms. Reports from Lebanon’s health ministry indicated that an Israeli air strike on a car in Majdal Zoun injured three individuals, including a seven-year-old child. Additionally, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) documented continued ceasefire violations by Israel, including an incident involving an Israeli tank.
Separately, Israel’s military reported strikes on military infrastructure sites near the border crossings between Syria and Lebanon linked to weapon smuggling activities. This smuggling activity was alleged to have occurred after the ceasefire began.
**Ceasefire Terms and Developments**
The ceasefire deal, aimed at ending over a year of conflict and two months of intense hostilities, took effect early Wednesday. Under the terms, the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers will be deployed in southern Lebanon, while Israeli forces will withdraw over 60 days. Hezbollah is also expected to retract its forces north of the Litani River and dismantle its military infrastructure in the region.
On Friday, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem reiterated the group’s commitment to cooperate with the Lebanese army regarding the ceasefire agreements. Reports indicate that army chief Joseph Aoun met with U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers to discuss coordination mechanisms in connection with the ceasefire. Jeffers, representing the U.S. military’s Central Command, was in Beirut to co-chair the implementation and monitoring of the cessation of hostilities.
Lebanon’s health ministry reports that at least 3,961 people have died in the country since October 2023 due to the conflict, the majority in recent weeks. On the Israeli side, there are reports of at least 82 soldiers and 47 civilians killed during the hostilities.
**Hamas and Hostage Crisis**
Following nearly a year of cross-border hostilities, Israel intensified its military campaign against Hezbollah in late September. This escalation was triggered by Hezbollah’s support of Hamas after the Palestinian group’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,207 Israeli fatalities, primarily civilians.
In retaliation, Israeli actions in Gaza have reportedly caused the deaths of approximately 44,382 individuals, according to figures from the health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas and considered reliable by the UN. During the October 7 attack, Hamas militants also seized 251 hostages, with 97 still being held in Gaza, including 34 confirmed deceased.
On Saturday, Hamas’s armed wing released a video featuring American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, where he called for intervention from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging Israelis to apply pressure for the hostages’ release. The Hostage Families Forum emphasized that the video serves as proof of life for the hostages and stated that a deal is crucial for their return.
Simultaneously, the U.S. charity World Central Kitchen announced it would pause operations in Gaza after an Israeli air strike impacted a vehicle with its workers. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a member connected to the October 7 massacre in Kibbutz Nir Oz. World Central Kitchen confirmed the strike occurred but did not substantiate any fatalities, stating they were gathering more information. Reports indicated that at least five individuals, including three WCK employees, were taken to the hospital after the incident.
