Thu Sep 18 18:29:17 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon, Sparking Condemnation and Renewed Tensions**
**Beirut, Lebanon** – Israeli forces launched a series of airstrikes on towns in southern Lebanon Thursday, targeting what they described as “Hezbollah military infrastructure.” The attacks, which came just an hour after residents were given evacuation warnings, have drawn strong condemnation from the Lebanese government and raised concerns about the stability of the already fragile ceasefire.
The Israeli military issued warnings, delivered by spokesperson Avichay Adraee, and urged residents of Meiss el-Jabal, Kfar Tebnit, and Debbin to evacuate buildings marked on a provided map. Shortly after, strikes commenced in the densely populated areas. The stated reason was to target Hezbollah rebuilding attempts.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has denounced the strikes as a violation of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, accusing Israel of “intimidation and aggressions.” Salam called on the international community, particularly France and the United States, who are sponsoring the deal, to exert pressure on Israel to halt its actions.
“Lebanon calls on the international community, especially the countries sponsoring the agreement to cease hostile operations, to exert maximum pressure on Israel to immediately stop its aggressions,” stated Salam in a social media post.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, indicated the Israeli warning prompted mass evacuations. She said the strikes happened approximately an hour after the evacuation order, forcing many to flee their homes with little more than what they could carry.
While the ceasefire brokered in November was meant to end near-daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces following the start of the war on Gaza, Israel has continued to conduct strikes on southern Lebanon, targeting vehicles and individuals it claims are Hezbollah members or assets.
The ceasefire agreement, formalized in UN Security Council Resolution 1701, stipulated Hezbollah’s disarmament and relocation north of the Litani River, along with a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. However, Israel continues to occupy at least five points in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon is currently under pressure, primarily from the United States, to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. The group’s weapons have long been a source of internal tension in Lebanon, with past attempts to curb its military capabilities leading to conflict.
The strikes occurred shortly after Hezbollah marked the anniversary of the Israeli “pager attack” on its members, which resulted in casualties and injuries a year ago. These events also follow Hezbollah losing its leader Hassan Nasrallah after he was killed by an Israeli strike in the Beirut suburbs.
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