Key Points:
- Lebanese authorities say renewed Israeli threats escalate tensions in the region
- Beirut says Israel is undermining stability and civilian safety
- Lebanese officials report fresh casualties and destruction from recent air-raids
- Lebanon calls on the United States and France—the guarantors of the cease-fire—to enforce compliance and protect Lebanese sovereignty
ISLAMABAD: Lebanon has strongly condemned Israel’s warnings of intensified military operations in the south, accusing Tel Aviv of flouting the terms of the cease-fire reached with Hezbollah, and escalating aggression against Lebanese territory.
In a statement issued by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, President Joseph Aoun described recent Israeli threats as “an unacceptable continuation of violations” and urged the guarantors of the truce, particularly France and the United States of America, to press for an immediate halt to the strikes.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam echoed the call, declaring that the escalation amounts to “intimidation and aggression” and signalling that Beirut may suspend cooperation with the cease-fire monitoring mechanism unless Tel Aviv ceases its actions, according to Al Jazeera.
The Israeli military has claimed it will expand its targeting of Hezbollah infrastructure in the region, citing ongoing weapons smuggling and rebuilding of militant capabilities despite the truce. Lebanon counters, stating that the majority of recent strikes have hit civilian sites and have impeded the return of displaced residents since the November 2024 agreement.
The latest escalation comes amid renewed tensions along the southern frontier, which had remained relatively calm since the fragile truce brokered in mid-2024 by France and the United Nations. That ceasefire, reached after months of cross-border exchanges, was intended to prevent the Gaza conflict from spilling into Lebanon. However, intermittent Israeli strikes have continued since early 2025, drawing warnings from Beirut and Hezbollah that Israel is violating the spirit of the truce. France, under the Emmanuel Macron-led presidency, has repeatedly urged restraint, calling for diplomatic engagement to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty and prevent a wider regional flare-up.
