Israel strikes Lebanon violating ceasefire imposed a day ago

Beirut: Violating a ceasefire agreement that was reached on Wednesday, Israel struck Lebanon using warplanes. Israel claimed that it struck a Hezbollah rocket centre in southern Lebanon.

Further, Israel imposed movement restrictions on the people in the area as travelling south of the Litani River has been prohibited from 5 pm to 7 am.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said Israel's shelling of Lebanese civilians was a violation of the ceasefire agreement. He said Israel had opened fire on civilians returning to villages along Lebanon's southern border. Fadlallah told reporters after the parliament session that Israeli forces were attacking those returning to border villages.

A ceasefire announced by Israel with Hezbollah in Lebanon came into effect at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday, temporarily ending 14 months of violence. The 60-day ceasefire agreement has allowed families to return to their homes in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli security cabinet approved the ceasefire on the bloodiest night in recent days in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon. The ceasefire comes with conditions, including a ban on Israeli forces entering areas in southern Lebanon and a ban on citizens returning to areas where they have been ordered to evacuate. It also requires Hezbollah fighters to withdraw from the northern part of the Litani River, which flows 28 kilometres from the Lebanon-Israel border. In return, 5,000 Lebanese soldiers are to be deployed along the border.

Israel, France and the US jointly announced the ceasefire in Lebanon late Tuesday. The fragile ceasefire has drawn attention to broader regional conflicts, particularly the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Israeli forces continued their assault on Gaza following attacks by Hamas in October 2023. Civilians in Gaza face dire conditions, with reports of significant casualties, including in shelters for displaced people.

While the Lebanon ceasefire has been welcomed by international observers, the focus has shifted to Gaza, where efforts to negotiate a similar truce face substantial challenges. The humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens as calls for a ceasefire grow louder. However, disagreements over key conditions, including the release of captives and the provision of humanitarian aid, have stalled progress.