Israeli Air Strikes in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley Leave 12 Dead, 24 Wounded
At least twelve people were killed and twenty-four others wounded in a series of Israeli air strikes targeting Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley on Friday, according to Lebanese authorities and security sources cited by the AFP news agency. The strikes represent one of the deadliest incidents reported in eastern Lebanon in recent weeks and pose a significant threat to an already fragile US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Targeting Hezbollah Command Centers
The Israeli military stated that it had targeted "command centres" operated by Hezbollah in the valley. Local television footage from one of the strike sites displayed an apartment building that appeared to have been directly hit. Two security sources informed Reuters that among those killed was senior Hezbollah leader Hussein Yaghi, the son of former Hezbollah lawmaker Mohamed Yaghi. Hezbollah-affiliated media confirmed Yaghi's death and reported that his funeral is scheduled to take place on Saturday.
Testing a Fragile Ceasefire
These strikes critically test the stability of the 2024 US-brokered ceasefire agreement, which was established to end over a year of intense cross-border hostilities that had significantly weakened the Iran-aligned Hezbollah. Since the truce was implemented, both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations, creating an atmosphere of persistent tension and mistrust.
US and Israeli officials have consistently urged Lebanese authorities to take action to curb Hezbollah's military arsenal. In response, Lebanese leaders have issued warnings that wider Israeli military strikes could further destabilize Lebanon, a nation already grappling with severe political paralysis and a profound economic crisis.
Earlier Strike on Palestinian Refugee Camp
Earlier on Friday, a separate Israeli strike hit the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp located in the port city of Sidon, resulting in the deaths of two people, as reported by The Guardian. The Israeli military claimed it struck a "Hamas command centre" within the camp.
However, Hamas acknowledged the death of two of its members while disputing Israel's justification, calling the claim of targeting a command centre a "flimsy pretext." The group stated that the building in question belonged to a joint security force composed of various Palestinian factions responsible for maintaining security within the camp.
The consecutive strikes underscore the volatile and precarious security situation along the Israel-Lebanon border, raising serious concerns about the potential for a broader regional escalation despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to maintain the ceasefire.
