Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday condemned Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon that killed two people and wounded eight, accusing Israel of violating a ceasefire agreement and risking broader conflict, according to a statement from Lebanon’s presidency.
Aoun called the strikes “a continued assault on Lebanon” and warned they represented attempts to “drag Lebanon into the cycle of violence once again.” He urged Lebanese authorities, including the military and a five-member committee overseeing the U.S.- and French-mediated 2024 truce between Israel and Hezbollah, to address the escalation with “the utmost seriousness” to prevent further repercussions.
The president directed army commander Rodolphe Haikal to protect civilians and investigate the strikes while appealing for restraint to safeguard Lebanon’s “national interests.” The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) voiced alarm over the violence. “We strongly urge all parties to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the fragile stability,” spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said, warning that further escalation could have “severe consequences.” UNIFIL said peacekeepers were maintaining patrols to de-escalate tensions.
Israel said it launched Saturday’s strikes after rockets were fired into northern Israel from Lebanese territory, blaming Hezbollah. The Iran-backed group denied involvement.
The exchange occurred amid lingering friction over a U.S.- and French-mediated ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which took effect on Nov. 27, 2024, halting over a year of hostilities linked to the Gaza conflict. The truce stipulated an Israeli withdrawal from disputed Lebanese territory, but Israeli forces continue to occupy five border posts past a Feb. 18 deadline.
At least 130 killed by Israeli army in Gaza in 48 hours: health authorities
At least 130 Palestinians were killed, and 263 others injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip over the past 48 hours, the Gaza-based health authorities said on Saturday.
This brought the death toll to 49,747 and injuries to 113,213 since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out in early October 2023, it added. The statement also noted that many victims remain trapped under rubble or stranded on the streets, inaccessible to ambulances and civil defense teams.
In a separate statement, the health authorities called on residents of the Gaza Strip to donate blood by heading to the few operational hospitals in the enclave. Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on Tuesday after a ceasefire with Hamas that began on Jan. 19 unraveled. Israeli forces subsequently launched ground operations across southern, northern, and central Gaza.
