Israeli military steps up strikes in south Lebanon

The Israeli military stepped up airstrikes in south Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least one person as it pressed a campaign of near-daily attacks which it says is designed to block a military revival by Hezbollah in the border area.

Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rearm since a US-backed ceasefire last year. The group says it has abided by requirements for it to end its military presence in the border region near Israel, and for the Lebanese army to deploy there.

The Reuters Gulf Currents newsletter brings you the latest on geopolitics, energy and finance in the region. Sign up here.

On Wednesday, residents fled after Israel issued warnings on social media identifying buildings it planned to strike in four villages in the south, saying it was attacking Hezbollah military infrastructure.

Strikes on the villages – Deir Kifa, Chehour, Aainata and Tayr Filsay – sent thick plumes of smoke into the air.

The Israeli military said it struck “weapons storage facilities belonging to Hezbollah’s rocket unit”, saying these were “located in the heart of the civilian population” and that it had taken steps to mitigate harm to civilians.

The Israeli military also accused Hezbollah of working to rebuild capabilities in the area of another village, Beit Lif, saying it had identified Hezbollah headquarters and weapons storage facilities there.

A Hezbollah official denied the Israeli accusations, calling these “false claims to justify continued attacks”.

Earlier in the day, one person was killed in an Israeli strike in the southern village of Al-Tiri, the Lebanese health ministry said. The Israeli military said it had killed a Hezbollah member who was working to “reestablish Hezbollah’s readiness in the area”.

DEADLY STRIKE IN REFUGEE CAMP

On Tuesday, Israel carried out one of its deadliest strikes in Lebanon since last year’s war with Hezbollah, killing 13 people in a Palestinian refugee camp near the southern city of Sidon, the Lebanese health ministry said.

The Israeli military said that it struck a compound in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp used by the Palestinian group Hamas to carry out attacks on Israel. Hamas said Israel’s claim was “pure fabrication”, and that there were no military establishments in refugee camps.

A Hamas official told Reuters on Wednesday that none of the group’s members were amongst the dead.

Under the terms of the truce brokered by the U.S. and France, Lebanon’s armed forces were to confiscate “all unauthorised arms”, beginning in the area south of the Litani River – the zone closest to Israel.

Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem has said the agreement only applies to the area south of the Litani rather than all Lebanon.

Lebanon says Israel has violated the agreement by continuing to occupy positions in Lebanon’s south.