Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Apr 26: Israel on Saturday said it would intensify attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, putting further strain on a fragile ceasefire that was recently extended by three weeks.

According to Lebanon’s state news agency, at least four people were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military, meanwhile, said Hezbollah had fired rockets into Israel, marking another escalation despite the ongoing truce.

The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had led to a significant reduction in hostilities, but clashes have continued in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces remain deployed in a self-declared buffer zone.

A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the military had been directed to carry out forceful strikes against Hezbollah positions, though no additional details were provided.

The Israeli military said it had targeted loaded rocket launchers belonging to Hezbollah at three locations overnight. It also reported separate strikes on Hezbollah fighters and later said it hit facilities used by the group’s elite Radwan forces in southern Lebanon.

It was not immediately clear whether the reported fatalities were linked to these specific strikes.

Israel also reiterated its warning to Lebanese civilians to stay away from the Litani River area, where its forces are currently operating against Hezbollah.

The military said it intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” in the operational zone and confirmed that two rockets were fired by Hezbollah into northern Israel, one of which was intercepted. No casualties were reported.

Tensions have remained high despite the ceasefire extension. A Hezbollah lawmaker had earlier dismissed the US-mediated truce as meaningless, a day after it was prolonged.

The latest developments underscore the continued volatility in the region, with both sides engaging in sporadic exchanges that threaten to derail the already fragile ceasefire.