Escalation Continues Between Hezbollah and Israel Despite a U.S. Proposal for De-escalation
Netanyahu announces the continuation of military operations in southern Lebanon, while the Israeli army says it intercepted two projectiles believed to have been launched by Hezbollah.
Clashes between Hezbollah and Israel continued despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements regarding a mutual ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, confirmed that military operations in southern Lebanon would continue, despite the suspension of anticipated strikes against Beirut’s southern suburbs.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military announced that it had intercepted two projectiles that crossed from Lebanon into northern Israel. It also reported that a suspicious aerial object later crashed inside Israeli territory near the Lebanese border. In a statement, the army said that no casualties had been reported.
For its part, Hezbollah announced that it had carried out 31 attacks against Israeli troop concentrations, military positions, and military vehicles between dawn on Monday and Tuesday.
In a series of statements, the group said that its operations were a response to what it described as “Israeli violations of the ceasefire and attacks on villages in southern Lebanon that resulted in the deaths of martyrs and injuries among civilians.”
Hezbollah fighters reportedly used drones to target the newly established Nimr al-Jamal military site, a facility at the Al-Abbad position along the southern border, a recently established Israeli military command post in the town of Taybeh, and two houses located on the southern outskirts of Dibbine and the eastern outskirts of Yahmar al-Chaqif, where the group claimed Israeli soldiers were taking shelter in southern Lebanon.
The organization also launched rocket barrages against the Zarit military barracks, an Iron Dome platform at the Metula position, an Israeli military headquarters at the Yaara barracks, military infrastructure in the city of Tiberias, the Meron Air Control and Operations Base, and the settlement of Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel.
Regarding troop concentrations, Hezbollah stated that it targeted nine gatherings of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in the areas of Al-Qawzah, Yahmar al-Chaqif (three concentrations), Dibbine (three concentrations), and Qantara (two concentrations).
The group also reported targeting five concentrations of Israeli troops near the historic Chaqif Castle, one gathering at the Metula position, and two troop concentrations in the settlement of Kiryat Shmona.
In two later statements, Hezbollah announced that it had targeted two Israeli military communications vehicles in the town of Qantara, southern Lebanon, using “Ababil” suicide drones.
In a separate operation, Hezbollah fighters detonated two explosive devices against two armored military vehicles, one of which was reportedly seen burning, as an Israeli armored force advanced toward the town of Hadatha.
Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike on the town of Al-Bazourieh in the Tyre district, followed by two additional strikes on Siddiqine and Yater in the districts of Tyre and Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
A fourth strike targeted the town of Al-Mansouri in the Tyre district, while another hit the area of Buyout Al-Sayyad south of Tyre.
In a post on the social media platform X following Trump’s announcement that Israel had suspended a planned attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs, Netanyahu stated: “I spoke this evening with the President and informed him that if Hezbollah does not stop attacking our cities and citizens, Israel will strike terrorist targets in Beirut.”
He added: “Our position remains unchanged. At the same time, the Israeli military will continue operating in southern Lebanon according to the established plans.”
On Monday, President Trump said he had spoken by telephone with Netanyahu and confirmed that Israel had backed away from plans to strike the Lebanese capital.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “I had a very productive conversation,” emphasizing that Israel had refrained from attacking Beirut. He added: “No forces will be sent to Beirut, and any forces that were on their way have turned back.”
Trump also stated that he had held a “very good” conversation with senior Hezbollah representatives, whom he did not identify, claiming that Israel and Hezbollah had “agreed to a complete ceasefire.”
He concluded: “Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel.”
