Israel launched a new wave of illegal airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday 5 January, flouting a US-brokered ceasefire and inflicting further devastation on communities already shattered by years of conflict. The Israeli military claims it was striking “Hezbollah and Hamas targets” in villages including Hammara, Ain el-Tineh, Kfar Hatta and Aanan — terminology critics argue is cynical cover for wanton aggression.
Israel strikes Lebanon again
Dozens of families fled their homes under threat of bombardment, gathering belongings and scrambling to safety as drones whirred overhead and explosions rocked the countryside. Emergency services rushed to the scene after a drone strike in the village of Braikeh wounded civilians. This was the latest in a string of attacks Israel insists are directed at militants.
This fresh offensive comes after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in 2024 that was supposed to end more than a year of bloody fighting. Rather than honouring peace, Israel has repeatedly violated the truce, occupying Lebanese territory and unleashing near-daily strikes that have terrorised communities and blurred the line between “military target” and civilian suffering.
Human rights advocates and UN officials have criticised Israel’s operations as disproportionate and indiscriminate, warning that the toll on civilians amounts to war crimes. Southern Lebanon has endured waves of bombardment that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands, destruction that crosses every acceptable threshold of proportionality.
Lebanese authorities fear today’s escalation could be a deliberate ploy to pressure Beirut into disarming Hezbollah — a demand domestically controversial and regionally explosive. But ultimately, this pattern of strikes is part of a broader strategy of intimidation rather than a legitimate defence imperative.
As bombs continue to fall, families pay the price — innocent lives caught in the crossfire of power politics and unending conflict.
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By The Canary
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