A deadly Israeli strike on Tuesday has killed one person in Lebanon, further destabilizing a fragile ceasefire that has been in place since last week. The strike, which was carried out by drone and artillery fire, is the latest escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue striking “with an iron fist” against perceived Hezbollah violations of the truce, but critics say the Israeli military’s actions are undermining the agreement. The ceasefire was brokered by the US and France after over a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and is meant to last for 60 days.
Despite the efforts of the international community to maintain the peace, near-daily attacks by Israel have continued, with the Lebanese government accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire dozens of times. Lebanon has seen significant returns of civilians since the ceasefire went into effect, but many remain skeptical about Israel’s commitment to the agreement.
The US State Department says it believes the ceasefire continues to be largely holding in place, but officials on both sides have expressed concerns about the fragile nature of the deal. A committee co-chaired by a senior US diplomat and the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon is supposed to monitor the ceasefire and ensure adherence to it.
The situation remains volatile, with Hezbollah firing projectiles towards Israel’s disputed border zone earlier this week, sparking an Israeli response. As the world waits for any signs of improvement, many Lebanese citizens are struggling to rebuild their lives after months of intense conflict.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/israel-hezbollah-war-hamas-lebanon-news-12-03-2024-234b978b7b6cf2a9e6063a75b14c70ec