Israeli forces kill one person in series of attacks on southern Lebanon

Israel claims its latest attacks on Lebanon were targeting alleged Hezbollah infrastructure.

The Israeli army has carried out several attacks on southern Lebanon, killing one person, according to Lebanese authorities, with the military saying it targeted a Hezbollah fighter and infrastructure.

The attacks on Sunday 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.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health said an “Israeli enemy strike on a car in Bint Jbeil city in south Lebanon resulted in the martyrdom of one citizen”.

The Israeli army said the strike was on a member of Hezbollah, which it accused of breaching a truce agreed in late 2024 to end more than a year of hostilities with the group.

“A short while ago, in response to Hezbollah’s continuous violations of the ceasefire understandings, the [Israeli military] struck a Hezbollah terrorist” in the Bint Jbeil area, the army said in a statement.

Elsewhere, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported that “enemy warplanes launched more than 10 raids” on the town of Kfar Hatta, which lies north of the Litani, noting “significant damage” to buildings there.

The Israeli military had issued an evacuation warning for Kafr Hatta, subsequently saying it was “striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas”.

It later announced an additional strike that targeted “an underground site used for weapons storage belonging to Hezbollah”.

While a truce was signed between Israel and Lebanon in 2024, Israel has repeatedly targeted Lebanon and has kept troops in five south Lebanon areas it has classed as being necessary to its security.

Israeli attacks have killed more than 300 people in Lebanon since the agreement was signed.

The Israeli army has not only targeted Lebanon to attack alleged Hezbollah infrastructure, but also Hamas targets.

Lebanon’s military has said that more work will be undertaken to bring weapons held by non-state groups under its control.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in response to the army’s statement that the ceasefire “states clearly, Hezbollah must be fully disarmed”.

“Efforts made toward this end by the Lebanese government and the Lebanese armed forces are an encouraging beginning, but they are far from sufficient, as evidenced by Hezbollah’s efforts to rearm and rebuild its terror infrastructure with Iranian support,” it added.

However, Hezbollah has repeatedly refused to disarm, saying Israel continues to violate the rules of the ceasefire agreement.