Lebanese PM Condemns Israeli Strikes Ahead of Elections, Urges International Action
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has strongly condemned a surge in Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon, calling on the international community to intervene and hold Israel accountable for breaching a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, as per Al Jazeera.
The strikes — among the most intense since a truce was reached in November — targeted multiple locations in the south, including the towns of Toul, Soujod, Touline, Sawanna, and the Rihan Mountain region, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA).
The Israeli military confirmed its operations, claiming they struck Hezbollah infrastructure and killed one fighter in the town of Rab el-Thalathine. Another strike in the Bekaa Valley reportedly hit a site containing rocket launchers and weapons. A Lebanese shepherd was also injured in a separate attack.
Prime Minister Salam issued a statement calling the Israeli actions “dangerous,” particularly given their timing just days ahead of municipal elections scheduled for Saturday in southern districts — a region expected to be a stronghold for Hezbollah and its allies.
“These violations will not deter the government’s commitment to holding the elections and ensuring the safety and sovereignty of Lebanon,” Salam’s office said. He warned that continued Israeli aggression risked destabilizing the electoral process and heightening tensions in border areas still partially occupied by Israeli forces.
Under the terms of the November ceasefire — based on a United Nations Security Council resolution — Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani River and dismantle its military positions in the south. Israel, in return, was to withdraw completely from Lebanese territory. However, Israeli troops remain in parts of southern Lebanon, citing strategic concerns.
The truce agreement affirms that only Lebanese government forces and UN peacekeepers may bear arms in the region and calls for the disarmament of all non-state actors. Hezbollah has yet to respond publicly to Israel’s latest claims or the reported death of one of its fighters.
