Israel bombs Syrian positions: conflict with Hezbollah escalates

Israel bombs Syrian positions: conflict with Hezbollah escalates

The situation in southern Lebanon remains tense. Early in the morning, a location in the region was targeted by Israeli artillery fire, according to Lebanese security sources. No injuries were initially reported. Israel's military, however, remains present in southern Lebanon to monitor ceasefire violations. In a statement, the army said it responded to suspicious activity in southern Lebanon and recovered Hezbollah weapons from a mosque. These measures come despite the painstakingly negotiated ceasefire, which requires Hezbollah to withdraw in accordance with a UN resolution. A gradual withdrawal of Israeli ground troops is also planned within 60 days.

Attacks on Syrian military installations

Another hot spot is Hezbollah's arms smuggling from Syria. The Israeli military said the air force carried out attacks on military facilities near the Syrian-Lebanese border in the morning. These infrastructures are said to have been used to supply Hezbollah with weapons, which is seen as a violation of the recently entered into force ceasefire agreement, which stipulates a halt to the militia's re-arming. This information has not yet been independently verified, as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

Hezbollah has long sourced weapons from Iran, often through Syrian territory. These connections have been a constant source of concern for Israel, particularly since the intense fighting in the region that occurred before the ceasefire began. To curb these supply routes, Israel bombed border crossings between Lebanon and Syria a few days before the ceasefire in order to interrupt the Shiite organization's supplies. These developments are further fueling conflicts in the region, as well nau.ch reported.