Israeli army strikes south Lebanon after warning

BEIRUT — The Israeli army struck an area of southern Lebanon on Sunday after issuing an evacuation warning, Lebanese state media said, with the military saying it attacked Hezbollah infrastructure.

The strikes came days after the Lebanese military said it had completed disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River, the first phase of a nationwide plan, though Israel has called those efforts insufficient.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported that "enemy warplanes launched more than 10 raids on the threatened location" in the town of Kafr Hatta, which lies north of the Litani, noting "significant damage" to buildings there.

The Israeli military said it was "striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas" shortly after issuing an evacuation warning for Kafr Hatta.

Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between it and Hezbollah.

Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli army announced it had carried out strikes on what it said was Hezbollah infrastructure elsewhere in the south "in response to Hezbollah's continuous violations of the ceasefire understandings".

The NNA reported "a series of violent Israeli strikes" on Jezzine, Mahmudiyeh and Al-Dimasqiyeh, as well as "more than 10 strikes" on Al-Bureij, all in southern Lebanon.

Most of the targeted areas are located north of the Litani.

Under heavy US pressure and fearing expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming the Iran-backed militant group, which was badly weakened by its war with Israel.

Lebanon's army said Thursday that it had "achieved the objectives of the first phase" of its disarmament plan, covering the area south of the Litani—around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border— with the intention to extend it to the rest of the country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in response that the ceasefire "states clearly, Hezbollah must be fully disarmed."

Lebanon's efforts, it added, "are an encouraging beginning, but they are far from sufficient, as evidenced by Hezbollah's efforts to rearm and rebuild."

Despite the truce, Israel has also maintained troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic. — Agence France-Presse