Israel conducts airstrikes in Lebanon following rocket attack, six dead

Israel launched airstrikes on multiple locations in Lebanon on Saturday in response to an alleged rocket attack, resulting in six fatalities in what has been the most intense exchange of fire since its ceasefire with Hezbollah began nearly four months ago.

The escalation has raised concerns about the stability of the ceasefire, particularly following Israel’s renewed military operations against Hamas, another Iran-backed militant group, in Gaza. Hezbollah, in a statement, denied involvement in the rocket attack and reaffirmed its commitment to the truce.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the military had been instructed to launch a forceful response targeting dozens of sites in Lebanon, where Hezbollah operates. According to Israel’s military, six rockets were fired toward Metula, a northern border town. Three of these rockets crossed into Israeli territory and were intercepted.

The Israeli army stated that it "cannot confirm the identity of the organisation responsible for the attack" but reported that it had struck Hezbollah command centres and multiple rocket launchers in response.

An airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Touline killed five individuals, including a child, and left 10 others injured, among them two children, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Another Israeli strike on Saturday night targeted a garage in the coastal city of Tyre, killing one person and injuring seven others, marking the first attack on the city since the ceasefire took effect on 27 November 2024. Additionally, an Israeli airstrike on Hawsh al-Sayed Ali, a village near the Syrian border, wounded five people, the NNA reported.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister,Nawaf Salam issued a statement instructing the country’s military to take necessary measures in the south but emphasised that Lebanon does not seek a return to war.

Hezbollah has been engaged in hostilities with Israel since 8 October 2023, a day after Hamas launched its deadly attack from Gaza. The conflict escalated into full-scale warfare in September when Israel conducted a series of airstrikes that eliminated several senior Hezbollah leaders. The ongoing violence has resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 individuals in Lebanon and displaced approximately 60,000 Israelis.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Israeli forces were expected to withdraw from all Lebanese territory by late January. The deadline was extended to 18 February, yet Israel has maintained a presence in five locations in Lebanon near Israeli border communities. Meanwhile, Israel has continued to conduct numerous airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions and carrying out drone operations that have killed several of the group's members.

Lebanon has appealed to the United Nations to pressure Israel into a full withdrawal. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon expressed alarm over the potential for further escalation and urged all parties to uphold the progress made toward stability.

Israel continues strikes on Gaza

The airstrikes in Lebanon occurred amid Israel’s renewed military operations in Gaza. Israel has vowed to intensify its offensive until Hamas releases the 59 hostages it continues to hold, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

On Friday night, Israeli airstrikes targeted a house in Gaza City, killing at least nine people, including three children, according to Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the victims.

Survivors described the devastation. Sameh al-Mashharawi, who lost his brother in the attack, recounted how "rubble and glass started falling" on them. His 12-year-old nephew, Samir al-Mashharawi, who lost his parents and siblings, was seen weeping in the back of a truck, his head and wrists wrapped in bandages.

Israel’s military announced plans for fresh operations in three Gaza City neighbourhoods and issued evacuation warnings to Palestinian residents through social media.

Ophir Falk, a foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu, stated, "Hamas, unfortunately, understands military pressure." The international community has condemned the renewed hostilities.

Since Israel resumed its offensive on Tuesday, around 600 Palestinians have been killed. Israel has already restricted access to food, fuel, and humanitarian aid for Gaza’s two million residents in an effort to pressure Hamas into ceasefire negotiations.

Hamas’ attack in October 2023 resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and the capture of 251 hostages. While many of these hostages have been released through ceasefire agreements and other deals, Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of dozens and rescued eight individuals alive.

Israel’s military offensive has so far killed over 49,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. While the ministry does not specify how many were combatants, it reports that more than half of the casualties were women and children. Israel, in turn, claims to have eliminated approximately 20,000 militants, though it has not provided independent verification.

Political tensions in Israel over Shin Bet chief

In Israel, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday to protest the government’s failure to secure a hostage deal and its controversial decision to dismiss the head of Shin Bet, the country’s internal security agency. The protesters also called for new elections.

Israel’s Supreme Court has temporarily blocked Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s dismissal, pending an appeal. The country’s attorney-general has ruled that the Cabinet has no legal authority to remove him.

In a statement on Saturday night, Netanyahu insisted that Bar "will not remain the head of the Shin Bet" and reiterated that "Israel will remain a democratic state". He stated that his loss of confidence in Bar predated the ongoing investigation into alleged illicit connections between several of his aides and Qatar.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded by urging a tax rebellion and general strike if the government disregards the court's ruling, stating, "If this happens, the entire country needs to grind to a halt."

With agency inputs