Lebanon Army Officials Claim Israel Broke Ceasefire Day After Signing

By Aysha Qamar

A day after signing a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon on Wednesday, Israeli forces conducted an airstrike on the country Thursday prompting Lebanese officials to declare a violation.

According to CBS News, Lebanese authorities reported scattered incidents of Israeli mortar attacks, strikes and shots fired near Lebanon’s southern border.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said at least two civilians were wounded in Markaba, while attempting to return home. They added that other villages and farms were also hit, but with no casualties.

The airstrike was the first since the truce went into effect the morning before. Per Reuters, Israeli military forces claimed the strike was not a violation, but a targeted attack on military activity at a facility used by Hezbollah to store mid-range rockets in southern Lebanon.

In a statement, the Israel “Defense” Forces claimed the wounded were not civilians, but suspects who violated the terms of the ceasefire truce.

“Several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire. The IDF opened fire toward them,” the statement read. “The IDF remains in southern Lebanon and will actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement.”

Lebanese army officials have claimed Israel broke its ceasefire truce several times on Thursday, noting that multiple strikes with “various weapons” were conducted in Lebanon. It also cited the continuous patrol of Lebanese skies with warplanes and drones as a violation.

Without elaboration the army said it was “following up on these violations in coordination with the relevant authorities,” CBS reported.