Fierce clashes erupted in the southern Lebanese city of Bint Jbeil after Israeli forces attempted to advance towards the local market area, encountering direct resistance from fighters of Hezbollah. Sources aligned with the group reported ongoing close-range confrontations involving light and medium weapons, alongside rocket fire.
Hezbollah announced it had carried out 16 attacks on Thursday targeting Israeli settlements, military positions, vehicles, and troops. Hebrew-language media reported that approximately 30 rockets were launched from Lebanese territory during the same period.
Escalation Following Ceasefire Violations
In a series of statements, Hezbollah said its operations were a direct response to what it described as Israeli violations of a ceasefire agreement. The group stated it had adhered to the ceasefire while Israel had not, warning that its attacks would continue until what it referred to as Israeli and American aggression against Lebanon comes to an end.
The group detailed 12 rocket strikes targeting six settlements in northern Israel, including multiple attacks on Kiryat Shmona, alongside strikes on Metula, Avivim, Shomera, Shlomi, and Manara.
Targeting Military Assets and Positions
Hezbollah reported targeting an Israeli military vehicle of the “Namer” type with a guided missile in the town of Taybeh in southern Lebanon. It also claimed to have struck Israeli forces in the same area using a drone, as well as launching rocket attacks against troop concentrations at the Marj site and positions near the Ajloun Heights, north of Kfar Yuval.
In a separate development, Hezbollah’s military media released footage showing preparations for an operation targeting an Israeli naval vessel off the Lebanese coast. The video reportedly captures the launch of a naval cruise missile.
According to a statement issued by the group, the vessel was struck late Saturday night, approximately 68 nautical miles off the Lebanese coast, as it was preparing to carry out attacks on Lebanese territory.
Conflicting Reports Over Maritime Incident
Earlier reports from Israeli media claimed that Hezbollah had launched a surface-to-sea missile towards a vessel described as a British warship. However, the UK Ministry of Defence denied that any British naval vessel in the eastern Mediterranean had sustained damage from an attack originating from Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have imposed strict censorship on reporting related to Hezbollah’s attacks, limiting the publication of information regarding casualties, damage, or targeted locations.
Regional Ceasefire and Continued Strikes
At dawn on Wednesday, the United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, aimed at paving the way for a broader agreement to end the war initiated by Washington and Tel Aviv against Tehran on 28 February. The conflict has resulted in thousands of casualties.
Despite confirmations from Islamabad and Tehran that the ceasefire includes Lebanon, both the United States and Israel rejected this interpretation. Israeli forces proceeded to carry out what were described as the most intense strikes on Lebanon since the escalation began, resulting in 254 deaths and 1,165 injuries on the first day of the ceasefire, according to Lebanese civil defence authorities.
