Continuous escalation. 6 killed in 29 Israeli attacks on Lebanon
The truce entered its tenth day in Lebanon after the most violent and bloody day since the start of the ceasefire, after the Israeli army launched, on Saturday, April 25, 29 air and artillery attacks in the south, the Bekaa Valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut, killing 6 people and wounding 17 others, in new violations of the agreement, which is supposed to freeze military operations since April 17.
The Israeli attacks were concentrated in the south, where 4 people were killed in two raids targeting a truck and a motorcycle in the town of Yahmar al-Shukif in the Nabatieh district, before the operations expanded to include the town of Safed al-Batikh in the Bint Jbeil district, where a warplane raid killed two people and wounded 17 others.
The raids on the towns of Kunin and Beit Yahoun continued, while large areas of Marjayoun, Bint Jbeil and Tyre witnessed intense artillery shelling, which coincided with systematic bombings of houses and infrastructure in Khiyam, Qantara, Taybeh and Dubal, in a scene that brings to the fore the "scorched-earth policy" adopted by Israel in the first days of the war.
In parallel with the bombardment, Israeli drones flew at low altitude over the towns of Ansariyya, Adloun and Zahrani, all the way to Baalbek in eastern Lebanon, while another drone penetrated the airspace of the southern suburbs of Beirut, in a clear message of pressure on Hezbollah's stronghold.
Hezbollah responds... and a drone targeting an Israeli armored vehicle
On the other hand, Hezbollah announced the implementation of an attack with an attack on an Israeli armored vehicle of the type "Nimra" in the town of Qantara, confirming that "confirmed casualties" had been achieved.
The group said the operation was "in defense of Lebanon and its people" and "in response to the enemy's violations of the ceasefire agreement," particularly the attack on civilians in Yahmer al-Shukif. With this attack, the number of Hezbollah's operations since the start of the truce has risen to 20 , most of them against Israeli positions and forces in the south, while others have targeted settlements in the Galilee.
Although Hezbollah did not announce additional attacks until 7 p.m. GMT yesterday, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that sirens sounded five times in settlements in northern Israel, including four times in less than an hour, as a result of the detection of drone and rocket launches from Lebanon.
The Israeli military said it intercepted a number of air targets, while others fell in open areas, noting that contact with a "suspicious air target" was lost without any casualties.
Netanyahu orders escalation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the army to launch "forceful" attacks inside Lebanon, reflecting a move to increase the level of military pressure despite the extension of the truce for another three weeks by a decision by US President Donald Trump.
The directive comes as Lebanon and Israel held two rounds of preliminary talks in Washington, on April 14 and 23, in preparation for possible peace negotiations.
As for this escalation , the Israel Broadcasting Corporation quoted security sources as warning that "the agreement may explode" in the absence of American pressure on Beirut, noting that Israel is demanding that Washington pressure the Lebanese army to take action against Hezbollah outside what it calls the "security zone."
Israeli Assessments: The Decision Against Hezbollah Is Unrealistic
In parallel, the Israel Hayom newspaper revealed estimates within the Israeli military that the elimination of Hezbollah militarily has become "unrealistic," and that the army is facing increasing operational fatigue as a result of the multiplicity of fronts and heavy reliance on reserve forces.
The newspaper quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that the government had not issued any instructions to "liquidate" the party entirely, although the stated strategic goal remained to undermine its capabilities.
It is estimated that the ceasefire is not just a political option, but an "operational necessity" to ease the pressure on the army and rearrange its priorities, in light of the escalating political and diplomatic cost to Israel, especially in Europe and the United States, due to the widespread destruction in southern Lebanon.
The newspaper adds that Israel has effectively moved from a strategy of "decisiveness" to managing a "long-term attrition" aimed at reducing the group's capabilities and preventing major threats, not eliminating it.
Israeli media : Netanyahu and Aoun will meet on May 11
Israeli Channel 15 reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington in two and a half weeks to participate in a summit with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
The channel's report pointed out that this meeting may be held during the week of May 11 .
Yesterday, the Israeli prime minister indirectly touched on the extension of the ceasefire in Lebanon announced by US President Donald Trump last Thursday.
"I had an excellent conversation with President Trump, he is putting pressure on Iran very hard, both economically and militarily, and we are working in full cooperation," Netanyahu said in a video posted by Netanyahu.
"The same is true for Lebanon. We have started a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it is clear that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage that."
Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji said that negotiations with Israel "are not a surrender" and that the priority is "to restore full and undiminished sovereignty," and that the state alone "decides the negotiations."
On the same level, Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos explained that President Joseph Aoun confirmed that he will take any path to stop the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.
It is noteworthy that the White House hosted on Thursday evening the second session of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, at the conclusion of which the US president announced the extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon for an additional three weeks.