One year after the November 27 ceasefire, the Israeli air force on Thursday launched new strikes in southern Lebanon on the Nabaa al-Taseh, al-Jarmaq, and al-Mahmoudiyeh villages. Two air raids were also reported over Iqlim al-Tuffah area.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority described the operations as “the first major strike” since the killing of Hezbollah’s military commander, Haytham Ali Tabtabai, on November 23.
Earlier on Thursday, Israeli forces also conducted machine-gun “sweeping fire” near the outskirts of southern Lebanon’s Wazzani village, where farmers were working, though no injuries were reported. Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes were observed flying at low altitude over Baalbek and the central and northern Bekaa Valley.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority also quoted Defense Minister Israel Katz as saying that Israel is weighing a potential operation along its northern frontier “as part of its border defense strategy.”
In a related report, the Israeli daily Israel Hayom noted that only 48 percent of residents in the border towns of Metula and Shatula have returned home since the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.
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