Southern Lebanon under fire: Israeli strikes escalate as villages receive evacuation warnings
From targeted air raids and reported destruction of Hezbollah positions to high-level diplomatic pressure involving Washington and the UN, tensions along the Lebanon–Israel border are surging amid fears of a wider regional escalation.
An explosion carried out by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon.
Amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes, the Israeli army has issued warnings to residents of several villages in southern Lebanon, cautioning them about potential military operations in the area.
The Israeli army released what it claims is the moment of the explosion at the Bint Jbeil stadium.
Destruction of around 1000 Hezbollah military targets
Furthermore, the Israeli army announced the destruction of around 1,000 Hezbollah military targets in the south, including booby-trapped buildings and buildings filled with weapons.
It added that Israeli soldiers found and neutralized hundreds of weapons, including machine guns, grenades, mines, anti-tank missiles, rocket munitions, and mortars.
Netanyahu pressures and Trump calls for calm
Israeli Channel 12 reported new details about a phone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump amid rising tensions on the Lebanese front and growing concerns over the future of the ceasefire.
According to the channel, Netanyahu told Trump that Hezbollah is “doing its best to sabotage the talks between Lebanon and Israel,” describing the situation on the ground as increasingly fragile and warning that continued firing reflects an unstable reality that could slide into a broader escalation.
Additionally, Netanyahu emphasized during the call that failing to respond to Hezbollah’s attacks could embolden the group, jeopardizing the ceasefire amid Washington’s efforts to stabilize the situation and prevent the confrontation from expanding.
Israeli airstrikes on the Al-Batim mountains.
Conversely, the channel noted that Trump expressed understanding of the Israeli position but urged that any military response be “measured and limited” to avoid a slide into full-scale war and preserve room for ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Guterres discusses strengthening UNIFIL's role in Lebanon with Barrot
During his meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot addressed the situation in Lebanon.
Barrot emphasized the safety and security requirements for UNIFIL personnel and France’s commitment to ensuring the force’s ability to fully carry out its mandate until its withdrawal begins on January 1, 2027.
He also discussed with the Secretary-General the possibility of enhancing UNIFIL’s role in securing the delivery of humanitarian aid, in line with security conditions and in close coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces.