Casualties Reported in Israeli Air Strikes on Eastern Lebanon
At least 10 individuals have been killed in Israeli air strikes targeting eastern Lebanon, according to reports from state media.
A senior official from Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, was among those killed, the group confirmed in an official statement.
Israeli Military Targets Hezbollah Sites in Bekaa Valley
Israel's military stated that the strikes targeted locations associated with Hezbollah in the Bekaa Valley. The military alleged that these sites represented "a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."
The recent strikes are among the deadliest incidents in Lebanon since a ceasefire agreement ended the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024.
Sequence of Strikes Including Palestinian Refugee Camp
The attack in the Bekaa Valley occurred hours after an Israeli strike on a Palestinian refugee camp located in southern Lebanon.
In a statement posted on X, the Israeli army reported that it had "struck a Hamas command centre from which terrorists operated" in the Ain al-Helweh area.
The strike on the densely populated camp, situated on the outskirts of Sidon, resulted in the deaths of two individuals.
Context of Ongoing Strikes Since Ceasefire
Since the ceasefire was implemented in November 2024, following 13 months of conflict, Israel has conducted near-daily strikes on Lebanon.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States and France, included a first phase requiring both Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters to withdraw from southern Lebanon.
Diplomatic Efforts and Continued Tensions
In December 2025, Israel and Lebanon dispatched civilian envoys to Naqoura, a Lebanese border town, for their first direct talks in decades. Despite this diplomatic engagement, military strikes have persisted.
Following the talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a statement:
"The meeting took place in a good atmosphere and it was agreed that ideas would be formulated to advance possible economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon."
The statement also noted that Israeli envoys "clarified that the disarmament of Hezbollah is obligatory, regardless of the advancement of economic co-operation."
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed a more cautious stance, stating that Lebanon remains "far" from diplomatic normalization with Israel and that the discussions focused primarily on "defusing tension."
Hezbollah's Background and Designation
Hezbollah is a Shia Muslim political and military organization based in Lebanon, with strong support from Iran. The group has previously declared that its conflict with Israel "should only end when it [Israel] has been removed from existence."
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel and numerous other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States.
