Israel is said to have conducted a series of airstrikes in southern and northeastern Lebanon shortly before the Dec. 31 deadline for the terrorist group Hezbollah to disarm.
The strikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure sites and launching sites within a military compound the terror organization uses to train its members and host courses, according to , which cited the Israeli military. Israel also noted it had struck Hezbollah military structures used for weapon storage.
The strikes were carried out just ahead of a meeting of the committee monitoring the enforcement of a the Israel-Hezbollah war from one year ago. The group also includes the U.S., France and United Nations peacekeepers deployed along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Meanwhile, U.S., Saudi and French officials are set to take part in a meeting with Lebanon’s army commander, Gen. Rodolph Haikal. The group is expected to discuss ways to assist the Lebanese army in expanding its presence in the border area, per the AP.
The Paris meeting also aims to dissuade Israel from escalating tensions, , which cited European and Lebanese diplomats and officials. The officials further noted concerns that and party politics are influencing the situation—potentially even slowing Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s push for Hezbollah’s disarmament—as the country prepares for 2026 legislative elections.
The Lebanese government has stated it anticipates the army will clear Hezbollah’s armed presence from the border area south of the Litani River by year’s end.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the strikes were “an Israeli message to the Paris meeting,” according to the AP.
“The fire belt of Israeli airstrikes is to mark the mechanism’s meeting tomorrow,” Berri said during a parliamentary session in Beirut.
On Wednesday, Israel announced it had killed a Hezbollah terrorist operating in southern Lebanon. The (IDF) stated the terrorist was collecting intelligence on Israeli military activity in the area and “took part in Hezbollah’s attempts to reestablish its infrastructure.”
Digital reached out to the IDF for comment.