Israel Launches Series Of Strikes On East Lebanon

Israel conducted a series of airstrikes targeting elevated terrains in the eastern part of Lebanon on Thursday, October 23, focusing on locations associated with Hezbollah, as reported by officials from both Lebanon and Israel.

“Israeli warplanes launched a series of violent strikes on the eastern mountain range” in the Bekaa region near the Syrian border, Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported. The agency also said two Israeli strikes hit the Hermel range in the country’s northeast.

The Israeli military confirmed the attacks, stating that they targeted Hezbollah sites in eastern and northern Lebanon, including “a military camp and a site for the production of precision missiles” in the Bekaa. It said the strikes hit “several terrorist targets,” including “a camp used for training Hezbollah militants” and “military infrastructure at a site for the production of precision missiles.” The statement added that Israeli forces also struck “a Hezbollah military site in the Sharbin area in northern Lebanon.”

The strikes come despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November, which ended over a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, including two months of open conflict. The ceasefire required Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon and for Hezbollah to dismantle its military presence in the area.

Under pressure from the United States and in an effort to prevent renewed escalation, the Lebanese government has begun taking steps to disarm Hezbollah. However, the militant group and its allies remain firmly opposed to the plan.

Lebanese media outlets, including al-Manar and al-Mayadeen, reported that the airstrikes extended to southern and eastern regions, encompassing the Bekaa Valley, outskirts of Hermel, and the town of Shmistar, where a school sustained damage.

According to preliminary tallies from the Lebanese Health Ministry, at least two civilians lost their lives, with several others wounded, including children, in areas such as Shmestar on the highlands west of Baalbek. Smoke plumes were visible rising from strike sites in Shmester, and additional explosions rocked the outskirts of Nabi Sheet and Badnayel in the Bekaa Valley.

Reports described the bombings as intense, resembling carpet bombing in some instances, igniting large fires and causing widespread destruction.

The attacks unfolded shortly after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s meeting with U.S. General Joseph Clearfield, the new chair of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire oversight committee.

These developments highlight Israel’s pattern of near-daily violations of the ceasefire, fueling concerns over potential re-escalation along the border.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli