Israeli occupation forces escalated tensions along the Lebanese border Tuesday, killing two people and injuring several others in twin airstrikes, as Israeli media signaled a likely return to full-scale war with Hezbollah by year-end.
According to two separate statements issued by the Israeli military, occupation aircraft targeted two members of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon—one in the village of Taybeh and the other near Siblene—under the pretext of preventing the group from “rebuilding its capabilities” after last year’s war, which ended with a fragile ceasefire in November 2024.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli strike hit a small truck traveling between Jadra and Siblene, killing a civilian and injuring five others. A second airstrike near Adaisseh killed another person, bringing the day’s death toll to two.
The latest escalation comes just days ahead of a scheduled meeting of the international ceasefire monitoring committee, which includes Lebanon, Israel, France, the United States, and the United Nations. Civilian representatives from both Lebanon and Israel are expected to participate, in what would be the second round of direct talks since the ceasefire was signed.
The ceasefire agreement mandates Hezbollah’s withdrawal north of the Litani River and its eventual disarmament in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from positions it seized during the 2024 war. However, Israel continues to occupy five strategic outposts within Lebanese territory, and Hezbollah has refused to disarm beyond the Litani.
Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli military leaders are preparing for renewed hostilities if Hezbollah does not meet the disarmament deadline, warning that the resistance group is “recovering and growing stronger at an accelerated pace.”
While Yedioth accused the Lebanese army of failing to implement the ceasefire’s demilitarization terms, the paper also noted that US support for a large-scale Israeli assault on Lebanon remains “limited at this stage.”
Meanwhile, Israel Hayom reported that Israeli security institutions are planning a broader campaign aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, not only in the south but across Lebanon—with Beirut specifically named as a priority target, as Israeli officials claim the group is rebuilding its networks there.
The paper added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to consult US President Donald Trump regarding coordination of any future military escalation. Washington, it said, is attempting to exhaust diplomatic avenues in hopes of avoiding a wider regional conflict.
