Israeli strikes hit Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon
TEL AVIV, Israel - The Israeli army said on Friday that it had carried out a series of airstrikes on Hezbollah facilities in southern Lebanon.
According to the Israel Defense Froces (IDF), the facility, used by the militia to "manage its fire and defence array," was part of an underground Hezbollah site that was previously targeted in Israeli strikes.
"In recent days, the IDF identified attempts by the Hezbollah terror organization to restore the site and therefore the terror infrastructure in the area was struck," the military said.
The IDF added that the "presence of this site and the attempts to re-establish it constitute a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."
Lebanese media broadcast footage showing columns of thick smoke rising from the targeted hills near the city of Nabatiyeh area, which is 54 kilometres south of Beirut.
Lebanese security sources confirmed to dpa that at least five heavy airstrikes struck the area.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Local media said residents in Nabatiyeh sought shelter amid the sound of loud explosions.
Coinciding with the strikes, Lebanese security sources said an Israeli drone hit an apartment in Nabatiyeh al-Fawka. There was no immediate details on the incident from the Israeli army.
At the end of November, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire following more than a year of mutual cross-border fire.
The agreement stipulated, among other things, that Hezbollah withdraw behind the Litani River, roughly 30 kilometres north of the Israeli-Lebanese border.
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