Israeli forces stepped up attacks in southern Lebanon on Monday, with two far-right Israeli ministers calling for an escalation that could include attacks on the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The strikes come as the United States and Iran seek to finalize the terms of a deal to end the conflict in the Middle East, which could include the front lines in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have been waging war since March 2.
Although the ceasefire came into effect on April 17, Israel and Hezbollah continue to exchange fighting on an almost daily basis.
Israel launched dozens of attacks on several towns and villages in southern Lebanon early on Monday, killing three people in two cars and a motorcycle, the Lebanese state news agency reported.
Israel subsequently carried out airstrikes on Monday on several towns near the ancient city of Tyre, the state news agency reported.
The attacks came after Israel issued evacuation orders for 10 villages, accusing Hezbollah of violating a ceasefire agreement.
“In light of Hezbollah’s ceasefire violations, the IDF was forced to take force action against it,” the army’s Arabic-language spokesman, Colonel Avicai Adrai, said in a social media post, listing the names of the villages.
Lebanese Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has regularly launched drone attacks against Israeli forces in Lebanon and along the border, including several on Monday.
Late on Monday, Adraee issued another evacuation warning for residents of a building in Rashidieh and two buildings in Burj al-Shamali, near the city of Tyre.
According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks since early March have killed more than 3,100 people.
The Israeli military also announced on Monday that a soldier had been killed in southern Lebanon the previous day.
This brings to 23 the number of Israeli soldiers killed since the outbreak of hostilities with Hezbollah. A civilian contractor was also killed.
– ‘Buildings must collapse’ –
Two far-right ministers have called for an expansion of Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
“There is an urgent need to end the threat posed by Hezbollah’s explosive drones,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in a settlement in the occupied West Bank, said on Telegram.
“Every time there’s an explosive drone attack, 10 buildings collapse in Beirut.”
Another far-right puppet of Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, called for a “resumption of fierce fighting” and “control” of the Zahrani River further north than the Litani.
The Israeli army controls a swath of Lebanese territory about 10 kilometers deep and has designated the Litani River as the border of the area cleared of Hezbollah militants.
Lebanese President Yosef Aoun on Monday defended his decision to hold talks with Israel, adding that his demand for a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon was “non-negotiable.”
Lebanon and Israel, which have no diplomatic ties, will hold another round of talks in Washington on June 2-3, followed by a meeting of military officials from both countries at the Pentagon on May 29.
Hezbollah leader Naeem Qasim reiterated his opposition to direct talks between Lebanon and Israel on Sunday night and reiterated his refusal to allow Hezbollah to disarm.
US Secretary of State Rubio condemned his remarks, accusing him of calling for the “overthrow” of the Lebanese government and hoping to “plunge Lebanon back into chaos.”
In response to Rubio, Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Ammar on Monday called on the U.S. government to stop “interfering in Lebanese affairs and destabilizing the country.”
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This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
