Israel strikes Lebanon overnight, claims it will not stop until Hezbollah is disarmed
ISRAEL HAS WARNED that it will keep striking Lebanon until militant group Hezbollah has been disarmed after it struck south Beirut in what Lebanese leaders called a major violation of a November ceasefire.
An Israeli military evacuation call issued ahead of Thursday's strikes sent huge numbers of residents of the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, long a bastion of Iran-backed Hezbollah, fleeing for their lives.
Iran condemned Israeli 'aggression' against Lebanon after its arch foe carried out air strikes against Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah in south Beirut.
Its foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei described last night's strikes 'as a blatant act of aggression against Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty.'
The attack on what the Israeli military said was Hezbollah's underground drone factories came on the eve of Eid al-Adha, one of the main religious festivals of the Muslim calendar.
The strikes were launched an hour after Israel's military spokesman issued an evacuation call, and sent plumes of smoke billowing over Beirut.
The attack came six months after a ceasefire agreement was sealed in a bid to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
'There will be no calm in Beirut, and no order or stability in Lebanon, without security for the State of Israel,' Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
'Agreements must be honoured and if you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force.'
Under the ceasefire brokered by the United States and France, Lebanon committed to disarming Hezbollah, which was once reputed to be more heavily armed than the state itself.
Hezbollah sparked months of deadly hostilities by launching cross-border attacks on northern Israel in what it described as an act of solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas following its 7 October, 2023 attack.
Advertisement
The war left Hezbollah massively weakened, with a string of top commanders including its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah killed and weapons caches dotted around Lebanon incinerated.
Israel has carried out repeated strikes on south Lebanon since the truce, but strikes targeting Beirut's southern suburbs have been rare.
'Following Hezbollah's extensive use of UAVs as a central component of its terrorist attacks on the State of Israel, the terrorist organisation is operating to increase production of UAVs for the next war,' the military said, calling the activities 'a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon'.
Ominous warning
Under the truce, Hezbollah fighters were to withdraw north of the Litani river, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south.
Israel was to withdraw all its troops from Lebanon but it has kept some in five areas it deems 'strategic'.
The Lebanese army has been deploying in the south and removing Hezbollah infrastructure, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam saying Thursday that it had dismantled 'more than 500 military positions and arms depots' in the area.
Following the strike on Thursday, Lebanon's leaders accused Israel of a 'flagrant' ceasefire violation by launching strikes ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday.
President Joseph Aoun voiced 'firm condemnation of the Israeli aggression' and 'flagrant violation of an international accord… on the eve of a sacred religious festival'.
The prime minister too issued a statement condemning the strikes as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
One resident of southern Beirut described grabbing her children and fleeing her home after receiving an ominous warning before the strikes.
'I got a phone call from a stranger who said he was from the Israeli army,' said the woman, Violette, who declined to give her last name.
Israel also issued an evacuation warning for the Lebanese village of Ain Qana, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the border.
The Israeli military then launched a strike on a building there that it alleged was a Hezbollah base, according to Lebanon's official National News Agency.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Gardaí preparing for thousands at pro-Palestinian and far-right rallies in Cork
Gardaí in Cork say they will have 'appropriate and proportionate policing measures' in place to allow people express their rights and maintain public order during two large rallies in the city on Saturday. It is understood that gardaí are preparing for a crowd of between 8,000 to 10,000 people. A pro-Palestine march and what's being billed as a "national protest for Ireland", organised by anti-immigration campaigners and far-right agitators, are set to take place in the city at around the same time on Saturday afternoon. A Munster–wide rally and march for Palestine is set to start at 1pm on the Grand Parade. There has been a march for Palestine through Cork City every Saturday since the war in Gaza started. On Saturday, members of the public and Palestinian solidarity groups from across Cork, Kerry, Clare, Limerick, Waterford and Tipperary will converge on the city for what could be one of the largest rallies to date. They will gather afterwards on the Grand Parade where speakers will call on the Irish Government to place sanctions on Israel, to stop the Central Bank from authorising the sale of Israeli bonds in Europe, and to pass a strong Occupied Territories Bill. Anti-immigration At around the same time, several leading anti-immigration activists and far-right agitators are also set to gather on the Grand Parade for what they've called a "national protest for Ireland". Several thousand people marched in a similar rally in Dublin last month. The former Ireland First leader and failed European and general election candidate Derek Blighe is among the main organisers of the Cork event. Participants will then move from the Grand Parade and march to City Hall, where speakers are expected to criticise the Government and the media on a range of issues — including immigration, housing, and health. In a statement on Friday, gardaí said they are aware of and prepared for both events. 'Ireland operates as a constitutional democracy, ensuring that citizens have the right to express their beliefs and opinions freely, as well as to gather peacefully, in accordance with legal provisions,' a spokesperson said. To manage public gatherings effectively, An Garda Síochána employs appropriate and proportionate policing measures, enabling citizens to exercise their rights while maintaining public order 'In response to evolving events, An Garda Síochána follows a community policing model, adopting a graduated approach that aligns with relevant legislation and prioritises public safety.' The Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign says it has organised online training with up to 50 stewards to 'protect their movement, space, and community', and that they have had extensive contact with gardaí on logistics. Traffic disruption is expected in the city centre island area around lunchtime, and could last for over an hour. Read More Trinity college board votes to cut ties with Israeli universities and companies
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Lebanon complains of ‘one-sided ceasefire' after Israeli air strikes on Beirut
Israel 's wave of air strikes on greater Beirut and southern Lebanon on Thursday night has renewed complaints in Lebanon about a 'one-sided ceasefire'. The strikes occurred more than six months after the truce between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hizbullah came into force. Many Lebanese families had gathered to celebrate Eid al-Adha, one of the most important holidays on the Islamic calendar, when Israeli warnings about expected air strikes were announced through social media, prompting panic and displacement. At least 10 strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, according to the Reuters news agency, while others hit the southern village of Ain Qana. In the aftermath, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun condemned 'the Israeli aggression', calling the strikes a 'flagrant violation of an international accord' and noting they were occurring 'on the eve of a sacred religious festival'. READ MORE When questioned about the timing of the strikes and whether Israel is deliberately violating the ceasefire, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had struck 'underground UAV [drone] production and storage facilities ... as well as a drone manufacturing workshop'. 'Despite the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, Hizbullah's aerial unit continues to engage in terrorism and expand its capabilities. The unit is working to produce thousands of UAVs under the direction and funding of Iranian terrorists, as part of Iran's efforts to harm the State of Israel.' The spokesperson said the alleged activity 'constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF is prepared in defence and offence and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel and its civilians, and will prevent any attempt by Hizbullah to re-establish itself.' Israeli defence minister Israel Katz, in a post on X, said that there was 'perfect execution' of the strikes. 'We see the Lebanese government as directly responsible for preventing violations of the ceasefire and all terrorist activity against the State of Israel,' he said. Under the ceasefire agreement, which came into force in the early hours of November 27th, 2024, Hizbullah fighters were required to move north of the Litani river, while Israel was required to withdraw completely from Lebanon, though its forces remain in five 'strategic' positions. Between November 27th and May 6th, a spokeswoman for the UN peacekeeping force Unifil said it had documented more than 2,700 air violations and almost 70 air attacks by Israel in Lebanon, while there were 19 violations from the Lebanese side, not counting 'legacy violations' of weapons and ammunition left behind. Those figures do not include Israeli strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs, which is outside Unifil's area of operations in southern Lebanon, the spokeswoman said. On May 29th, Irish peacekeepers in southern Lebanon came under fire from Israeli forces while on a joint patrol with the Lebanese Armed Forces. 'This is the latest in a range of what I view as intimidatory behaviour by the IDF towards peacekeepers or, as we saw recently, Irish diplomats too. So this is not acceptable,' said Tánaiste Simon Harris at the time.
Irish Times
5 hours ago
- Irish Times
International Criminal Court comes out fighting in wake of US sanctions
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has described sanctions imposed by the US as 'a clear attempt to undermine its judicial independence'. Within hours of the announcement on Thursday evening, the European Union came out strongly in support of the court, praising it as 'a cornerstone of international justice' whose independence and integrity must be protected.' In a post on X, European Council president Antonio Costa wrote: 'The ICC does not stand against nations, it stands against impunity. The rule of law most prevail over the rule of power.' The sanctions were imposed by US secretary of state Marco Rubio on four judges for what he called 'illegitimate actions' targeting the United States and Israel. READ MORE The judges were named as Beti Hohler of Slovenia, Luz de Carmen Ibānez Carranza of Peru, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin. Hohler and Alapini-Gansou were two of the judges who authorised the ICC arrest warrants for Israeli premier, Binyamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, accused of war crimes in Gaza following the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7th, 2023. Bossa and Ibāñez Carranza were involved in authorising an ICC investigation into alleged abuses by US troops and CIA officials in Afghanistan. 'As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel', Rubio alleged. 'The ICC is politicised and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies.' Such assertions, he said, were 'dangerous' and infringed upon 'the sovereignty and national security of the United States'. In February the US also imposed sanctions on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan for his role in pursuing the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. It froze his bank accounts, left him without email, and barred him from entering the US or doing business with US companies or agencies. The latest sanctions on the judges were imposed under the same executive order signed by President Trump. As a result of that order, Americans who work for the court in The Hague have been warned they could face arrest if they return home. The International Federation of Human Rights representative to the ICC, Danya Chaikel, noted that the sanctions being employed were originally designed to 'disrupt terrorist networks, weapons traffickers and human rights abusers – not international justice institutions'. Neither the US nor Israel is a member of the ICC and they do not recognise the court's jurisdiction. In an unrelated development, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan took leave of absence last month pending an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.
