The Israel Defense Forces has launched a wave of airstrikes across Lebanon following an announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the country would intensify military operations against Hezbollah.
The IDF confirmed that strikes targeted Hezbollah positions in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley as well as other areas across the country.
In response, Hezbollah said it carried out 22 drone and rocket attacks against Israeli targets, including military positions, tanks, barracks, and buildings, describing the action as retaliation for what it called repeated violations of the ceasefire.
Earlier this month, Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend a 45-day ceasefire, but both sides have continued exchanging fire despite the agreement.
In a televised statement, Netanyahu said Israel was “at war with Hezbollah” and ordered the military to “deal them a crushing blow.”
He claimed that Israeli operations had already eliminated more than 600 fighters from the group but insisted that the intensity of strikes would now increase.
“We need to increase the strikes, to increase the intensity,” he said.
The escalation has been further fuelled by calls from far-right Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who have urged expanding military operations, including potential strikes on Beirut.
Hezbollah said its attacks were a response to continued Israeli actions in southern Lebanon, which it described as violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Lebanese and Israeli officials, despite lacking formal diplomatic relations, are expected to hold further negotiations in Washington next week in an effort to reduce tensions.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon as a condition for lasting stability.
Since the ceasefire was signed on April 16, Israel says its operations have largely focused on southern Lebanon, where it maintains a military presence and alleges continued cross-border attacks from Hezbollah.
The Bekaa Valley, which was struck in the latest round of attacks, lies in eastern Lebanon near the Syrian border.
The latest escalation comes amid broader regional tensions linked to the wider Iran-Israel conflict, which has drawn in allied groups across the Middle East.
Lebanon has suffered heavy casualties during the ongoing conflict, with thousands reportedly killed and more than one million people displaced due to repeated strikes and evacuation orders.
Israel, meanwhile, says its operations are aimed at neutralising Hezbollah infrastructure and preventing further attacks on its territory.
Diplomatic efforts continue, but analysts warn that the widening cycle of retaliation risks undermining fragile ceasefire arrangements and further destabilising the region.
