Israel-Lebanon Airstrikes: Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley kill at least 10, including a senior Hezbollah commander, testing the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire amid mutual accusations of violations.
Israel Lebanon Airstrikes: 10 Dead, 50 Wounded in Bekaa Valley After Hezbollah Sites Targeted by IDF (Image: X/ Reuters)
Israeli strikes killed at least 10 people, including a senior Hezbollah commander, and wounded 50 others in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Friday. The Israeli military targeted Hezbollah command centers in the Baalbek area, citing operations to accelerate the group's missile readiness and attacks on Israel.
Two security sources told Reuters that the strikes marked some of the deadliest in eastern Lebanon in recent weeks. Hezbollah confirmed eight of its fighters died, including commander Hussein Mohammad Yaghi. The group identified the losses in a Saturday statement following the Friday attacks.
The strikes hit command centers in Baalbek, part of the Bekaa Valley. Israel described the targets as sites recently identified for Hezbollah's force build-up.
The Israeli military issued a statement saying it struck Hezbollah command centers in the Baalbek area. A separate Saturday statement detailed the elimination of several terrorists from Hezbollah's missile array in three different command centers. These sites operated to speed up the organization's readiness and plan fire attacks toward Israel.
The action risks testing a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire from 2024. That agreement aimed to end over a year of cross-border fire between Israel and the Iran-aligned group.
Israel also struck a Hamas command center in the Ain al-Hilweh area of southern Lebanon. Ain al-Hilweh is a crowded Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon. The military said militants operated from there.
Hamas condemned the strike in a statement and rejected Israel's claims. The group said the site belonged to the camp's Joint Security Force, tasked with maintaining security.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the overnight Israeli strikes on the Sidon area and Bekaa towns. His office called them a new violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and a breach of U.N. obligations. Aoun urged countries backing regional stability, including the United States, to press for an immediate halt to avert further escalation.
The presidency highlighted the strikes' timing amid strained ceasefire terms. U.S. and Israeli officials have pressed Lebanese authorities to curb Hezbollah's arsenal. Lebanese leaders warn broader strikes could destabilize the crisis-hit country further.
Since the 2024 ceasefire, both sides have traded accusations of violations. The agreement followed Israeli strikes that weakened Hezbollah.
A: The strikes took place on Friday, with statements issued Saturday.
A: At least 10 killed and 50 wounded, per two security sources.
A: Commander Hussein Mohammad Yaghi, along with seven other fighters.
A: Agreed in 2024 to end over a year of cross-border fire; strained by violation accusations.
A: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes as sovereignty violations; Hamas rejected claims on the Ain al-Hilweh target.
Disclaimer: This information is based on inputs from news agency reports. TSG does not independently confirm the information provided by the relevant sources.
