Israeli strikes rock Lebanon as Hizbollah signals unwavering Iran support

BEIRUT: Israel struck south Lebanon on Saturday despite a ceasefire as Hizbollah said its backer Teheran had pledged not to abandon the group.

Hizbollah said its chief Naim Qassem had received a message from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, saying the latest proposal through Pakistani mediators aimed at ending the regional war emphasised “the demand to include Lebanon” in the broader ceasefire.

Lebanese authorities, however, have insisted the country’s ongoing talks with Israel under US auspices must be independent from the Iran-US negotiations.

Israel’s military has been pounding Lebanon despite an April 17 ceasefire in the country announced by US President Donald Trump, and which was recently extended for several weeks.

Hizbollah has also kept up attacks on Israeli targets in south Lebanon and in northern Israel, including targeting Israeli air defence platforms across the border on Saturday.

The group said Araghchi’s message indicated Iran “will not give up its support” for Hizbollah.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli airstrikes on multiple south Lebanon locations, some after Israel issued evacuation warnings to around 15 villages.

Lebanon’s military said one strike targeted an army barracks in the city of Nabatieh, wounding a soldier.

A statement from Israel’s military said it “solely operates against the Hizbollah organisation and not against the Lebanese army”, adding that the incident was under review.

– SANCTIONS –

Lebanon’s military stressed this week that its soldiers were loyal to the institution after Washington announced sanctions that included an officer accused of sharing information with Hizbollah.

The sanctions came after the United States hosted three rounds of landmark direct talks between Lebanon and Israel aimed at ending the latest conflict.

Hizbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.

Security talks with Israel are scheduled at the Pentagon for May 29, while a fourth round of negotiations is planned for June.

Hizbollah has vehemently rejected the direct talks.

On Saturday, Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli attacks had killed 3,123 people since March 2, decrying an overnight strike that damaged a hospital in the southern city of Tyre as “further proof of the Israeli enemy’s violation of humanitarian law.”

Israel had issued overnight evacuation warnings for two sites in Tyre.

An AFP correspondent saw shattered glass, ceiling panels blown out and damaged medical equipment at the Hiram hospital, near one of the locations.

The hospital’s CEO, Dr Salman Aydibi, told AFP that around 40 patients were in the facility when the warning came.

– ‘DOOMSDAY’ –

“We took the patients to a safer location” elsewhere inside the hospital, he said, adding that no patients were harmed but some 30 staff sustained minor injuries.

He said the hospital was still operational.

Israel’s army said it had targeted “Hizbollah infrastructure sites in Tyre”, adding that “prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians.”

Another AFP correspondent saw heavy damage at the targeted sites in the city.

“I don’t know what happened, it felt like doomsday,” said Wisam Baroud, who lives near one site.

“We quickly got dressed, rushed outside and started running,” she said.

Israel’s army also targeted a Hizbollah compound in east Lebanon overnight.

Lebanon’s Jamaa Islamiya and its armed wing the Al-Fajr Forces said one of its members was killed in a strike in the east.

Under the terms of the ceasefire published by Washington, Israel reserves the right to act against “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks.”

Israeli troops who invaded Lebanon are also operating inside an Israeli-announced “yellow line” running around 10 kilometres (six miles) deep along Lebanon’s southern border.–AFP

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المصدر: New Straits Times