IDF Continues Operations in Southern Lebanon Despite Ceasefire with Hezbollah
Ongoing IDF Operations Amid Ceasefire
On Friday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced their intention to persist with military operations in southern Lebanon, despite a newly established ceasefire with Hezbollah. The IDF emphasized its commitment to neutralizing immediate threats and addressing violations by Hezbollah. Brigadier General Effie Defrin, the IDF spokesperson, stated that the recent Hezbollah attacks, which resulted in the deaths of four Israeli soldiers, are unacceptable. He remarked, "These assaults by Hezbollah are breaches of the ceasefire and highlight their ongoing objectives to maintain a presence on Israel's borders and orchestrate attacks against our civilians. This situation is intolerable, which is why the IDF will continue its operations in southern Lebanon. It is clear that our soldiers must act as a barrier between Hezbollah and Israeli civilians." He further asserted, "We will not wait for the next assault to occur on our territory. Our operations will continue to eliminate immediate threats and respond to Hezbollah's provocations to ensure the safety of our citizens."
These statements followed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which was intended to stabilize an interim agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at ending their conflict. The ceasefire took effect around 4 PM local time, as confirmed by a senior US official, along with two sources from Hezbollah and an Israeli official. The Israeli official noted, "If Hezbollah refrains from attacking us, we will not consider this a time of war," while also indicating that Israeli forces would remain stationed in southern Lebanon.
Reports from Lebanese security sources indicated that Israel conducted several airstrikes within the first hour of the ceasefire, although no further strikes were reported after 5 PM. This ceasefire followed a day marked by escalating violence, with Lebanon's health ministry stating that Israeli airstrikes resulted in at least 47 fatalities overnight and into Friday, while Israel reported the loss of four soldiers due to Hezbollah's attacks.