Israel launches heavy airstrikes across Lebanon amid strained ceasefire

The Israeli military carried out a series of airstrikes across multiple regions in Lebanon on Thursday marking another breach of the fragile November ceasefire with Hezbollah according to a report by ANICiting Lebanonrsquos National News Agency ANI reported at least seven air raids on towns in the Bekaa Valley and the mountainous Baalbek region in eastern and northeastern Lebanonmdashareas well beyond the southern border Additional strikes targeted the Ghaziyeh area in southern Lebanon sparking a fire at a warehouseIsraelrsquos Defence Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed the operation describing it as a violent renewed attack on the largest site for the production of precision missiles belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon as per local broadcaster Channel 12ldquoEvery attempt by the terrorist organisation to recover reposition or threaten will be met with relentless forcerdquo ANI quoted Gallant as sayingThe airstrikes hit several areas including the outskirts of Brital and Nasiriyah towns in the Bekaa Valley Tallet alSunduq Jarmak in Jezzine and the Mahmoudiya and Khardali regionsOn the same day Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated his longstanding call for Hezbollah to relinquish its weapons to the national army ldquoThe extension of the Lebanese statersquos authority over all its territory the removal of weapons from all armed groups including Hezbollah and their handover to the Lebanese Armyrdquo he said during a televised address from the Defence MinistryldquoFor the thousandth time I assure you that my concern for a state weapons monopoly comes from my desire to protect Lebanonrsquos sovereignty and borders to liberate occupied territories and to build a nation that embraces all its citizensrdquo Aoun added describing Hezbollah supporters as an ldquoessential pillarrdquo of Lebanese societyHis comments came amid growing pressure from Israelrsquos main ally the United States However Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rejected such appeals on Wednesday stating ldquoAnyone calling today for the surrender of weaponsmdashwhether internally or externally on the Arab or international stagemdashis serving the Israeli projectrdquo ANI reportedTensions between Israel and Hezbollah reignited on October 8 2023 after the Lebanese group launched attacks in support of Hamas during Israelrsquos military campaign in Gaza Despite a ceasefire agreement in November Israel has continued its aerial operations and insists on disarming HezbollahAs part of the ceasefire terms Hezbollah was expected to pull back north of the Litani River while Israel agreed to withdraw from Lebanese territory However Israeli forces reportedly continue to hold five strategic locationsAoun reiterated Lebanonrsquos proposal to revise the USbrokered disarmament terms calling for an ldquoimmediate cessation of Israeli hostilitiesrdquo full Israeli withdrawal the release of Lebanese detainees and a comprehensive plan to strengthen the Lebanese ArmyldquoToday we must choose between collapse and stabilityrdquo Aoun declared urging a timeline for the disarmament of all armed groupsmdashincluding Hezbollahmdashand the transfer of their weapons to the militaryThe proposal also calls for USD 1 billion annually from international donors over a decade to reinforce the Lebanese Army along with a global donor conference to finance reconstruction in areas affected by the conflict ANI reportedWith inputs from ANI