Israel intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, conducting air strikes on the towns of al-Mansouri and Sarbin and starting fires along the Litani River with continuous artillery shelling, as both sides accused each other of violating a ceasefire that has been in place since November 2024.
The escalation came as the wider US-Iran war entered its 180th day, with the Israel-Lebanon front remaining one of the conflict’s most volatile flashpoints. Israeli forces also targeted the Marjayoun plains near Deir Mimas, according to military reports, in what appeared to be the most significant round of strikes in southern Lebanon in recent weeks. The IDF issued evacuation warnings for civilians in the targeted areas before the strikes began.
Ceasefire Under Strain
The current ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was established in November 2024, following a year of fighting that killed hundreds on both sides. But the truce has been violated on a near-daily basis since its inception. The UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL reported more than 10,000 air and ground violations by Israel as of November 2025, while Israel has maintained that it retains “full freedom of military action” under the agreement’s terms.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will maintain its presence in southern Lebanon and “reconsider” its approach only once Hezbollah disarms. Israel has kept troops at five border posts since withdrawing from most occupied areas of southern Lebanon in February 2025, and Defence Minister Israel Katz stated on June 19 that “every violation of the ceasefire by Hezbollah will be met with great force” and that the IDF would remain in the security zone “from the coastline to the heights of the Beaufort.”
On August 5, Israel launched what it called “precision strikes” against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon after accusing the group of a “blatant” ceasefire violation. The strikes forced an early end to Rome-based negotiations between Israeli and Lebanese officials, though US officials said talks would resume the following day. The Ali al-Taher Ridge area has emerged as a key sticking point, with Israel demanding the removal of Hezbollah infrastructure and verification that the organization no longer has a presence at the site before agreeing to further withdrawals.
Hezbollah Adapts Under Pressure
A Lebanese military source told Aram News in late July that Hezbollah had been developing a new operational approach in the south, shifting to targeted attacks on important IDF military targets and increased use of reconnaissance drones to monitor troop movements. The shift aims to adapt to Israel’s intelligence and air superiority while reducing exposure of the group’s operatives and increasing the cost of Israeli operations through limited attrition.
Hezbollah has also refused to transfer control of the tunnel complex in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area to the Lebanese army, a key condition in the negotiations. Lebanese officials warned that the organization’s continued refusal could lead to an expansion of Israeli military activity in the area and delay progress toward a more stable arrangement. Hezbollah has maintained that “the enemy has never complied with any ceasefire agreement” and that the group “will defend their land and people.”
Since the ceasefire took effect, the IDF has killed approximately 400 Hezbollah operatives and allied fighters, while Lebanon’s government has reported roughly 400 people killed over the same period, including civilians. Israel also carried out a strike on Beirut in November 2025 that killed Hezbollah’s chief of staff and four other people, marking the first attack on the capital in months.
Lebanon’s Government Pushes Back
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has condemned the continuation of Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, particularly damage to infrastructure and heritage sites including Beaufort Castle, which he called “a serious escalation and a violation of existing understandings.” Aoun urged the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, to take action against what he described as Israeli violations of human rights in the area.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri condemned Israel’s attacks as “aggression against people, heritage and construction,” claiming Israel used hundreds of tons of explosives and calling for international intervention. Lebanon’s government banned Hezbollah’s military activities in March 2026 after the group launched rocket attacks on Israel, but the prohibition has had limited practical effect on the ground.
Intelligence sources say Hezbollah continues to rearm through the Beirut seaport and old smuggling routes from Syria, bringing in long-range missiles, anti-tank weapons and artillery. A US official told the Jerusalem Post that Hezbollah disarmament is “integral” to the Lebanon-Israel security process, saying the organization “bears sole responsibility for Israel’s presence on Lebanese soil.”
Complicating the Diplomatic Picture
The ongoing hostilities on the Israel-Lebanon front complicate the broader diplomatic effort to resolve the US-Iran war. Iran has said that fighting in Lebanon would violate the memorandum of understanding signed with the US on June 17, though Israel has rejected any linkage between the Lebanon front and the US-Iran negotiations. Lebanese President Aoun has similarly insisted that the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire talks are “independent” of the US-Iran process.
With Qatar’s prime minister in Tehran this week attempting to revive stalled Hormuz negotiations, the escalation in southern Lebanon threatens to further complicate an already fragile diplomatic landscape. The UK government has said that “progress is being undermined by both Hezbollah and Israel” in the ceasefire implementation. Each round of strikes raises the risk of a wider conflagration that could draw in additional regional actors and undermine the limited progress achieved so far toward de-escalation.
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