Lebanese officials have strongly condemned the strike as a violation of the ceasefire.
- Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called the incident a “blatant crime against civilians and a message of intimidation.” He urged countries that are guarantors of the November ceasefire, including the United States and France, to pressure Israel to end its aggressions.
- The Lebanese army warned that Israel’s repeated ceasefire violations risk slowing down efforts to disarm Hezbollah.
Context of Ongoing Tensions
The strike occurred despite a November ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel claims its frequent strikes target Hezbollah arms depots. However, the Lebanese government is under pressure from the US and Saudi Arabia to disarm the group. Hezbollah, in turn, has stated that it will not discuss disarmament while Israel continues its airstrikes and occupies Lebanese territory. The Lebanese army reported that Israel has committed 4,500 violations of the ceasefire since it began.
