Israel strikes south Lebanon after first direct talks in decades

The Israeli military has carried out a new round of air strikes in southern Lebanon, less than a day after Israel and Lebanon held their first direct talks in decades. The timing of the strikes has raised questions about thedurability of the fragile ceasefire and the prospects for renewed diplomacy between the two sides. 

Residents of the towns of Mjadel, Baraachit, Jbaa and Mahrouna were told to evacuate areas around locations that the Israeli military alleged were weapons warehouses belonging to the Iranian-backed group. No casualties have been reported. he evacuation orders echoed similar warnings issued during previous rounds of fighting, heightening fears among local communities of a wider escalation. 

An Israeli military spokesman said the sites constituted a ceasefire violation and warned that it would continue to operate "to remove any threat" to Israel. Israeli officials have repeatedly argued that such strikes are necessary to prevent Hezbollah from regaining military strength along the border. 

Israel has carried out near-daily strikes on Lebanon since a ceasefire took effect in November 2024, following 13 months of conflict. 

There was no immediate comment from Lebanon's leaders in response to Thursday's strikes. Lebanese politicians have previously condemned similar strikes as ceasefire violations. These ongoing attacks have kept tensions high, despite international efforts to stabilise the situation. Under the first phase of a deal brokered by the US and France, Israeli troops were to withdraw from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah was to remove its fighters and weapons from south of the Litani river, about 30km (20 miles) from the border with Israel - a plan the group and its allies oppose. Implementation of the agreement has been slow, with both sides accusing each other of failing to meet their commitments. 

Israel has maintained positions at several strategic border sites and stepped up its air strikes in recent weeks. It is an escalation officials say is driven by Hezbollah's attempts to rebuild its military infrastructure and what theysee as limited Lebanese government efforts to disarm the group. Lebanon, however, has argued that Israeli actions undermine its ability to assert control over the south. 

Thursday's strikes came less than 24 hours after Israel and Lebanon sent civilian envoys to the Lebanese border town of Naqoura for their first direct talks in decades. The rare face-to- face engagement had been seen as a potential confidence-building measure, despite low expectations of a breakthrough. The close proximity between the talks and the strikes highlighted the delicate balance between diplomacy and military pressure. 

The talks, hosted at the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission, Unifil, took place during a meeting of the ceasefire monitoring committee, which until now had only included military officers from the US, France, Lebanon, Israel and Unifil. The inclusion of civilian representatives marked a notable shift in the format of the discussions. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying the meeting "took place in a good atmosphere" and that it "was agreed that ideas would be formulated to advance possible economic cooperationbetween Israel and Lebanon". Such cooperation would be unprecedented given the countries’ long history of hostility. 

It also said that Israeli envoys "clarified that the disarmament of Hezbollah is obligatory, regardless of the advancement of economic co-operation". This stance reflects Israel’s long- standing position that security concerns must be addressed before any broader political progress. 

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was more cautious, saying Lebanon remained "far" from diplomatic normalisation with Israel and that the talks were focused on "defusing tension". His remarks highlighted the political sensitivities surrounding any engagement with Israel within Lebanon. 

"We are not yet at peace talks," he told reporters, saying Lebanon's priorities were the cessation of hostilities, the release of Lebanese detainees held by Israel, and Israel's full withdrawal from its territory. These demands havebeen consistent elements of Lebanon’s negotiating position. He added that Beirut was open to the deployment of French and US troops to help verify efforts to disarm Hezbollah. Such a move would require broad internationalcoordination and domestic consensus. 

The latest strikes and diplomatic moves coincide with a visit by a UN Security Council delegation to Lebanon to review the stalled implementation of the ceasefire. The delegation’s findings are expected to influence futureinternational engagement in the conflict. The Israeli military bombs Lebanon on a near-daily basis, but Thursday’s strikes were unusual in their 

intensity and for being preceded by an evacuation warning. They came hours after Hezbollah had sent an open letter to Lebanon’s leadership saying that while it was committed to the ceasefire, it still had a “legitimate right” to resist what it called the “Israeli occupation”. The group has fired at Israel once since the signing of the ceasefire in December 2024. 

References: 

BBC News. (2025, December 3). Israel strikes south Lebanon after first direct talks in decades. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62n6y9yd70o 

Christou, W. (2025, November 6). Israel carries out wave of airstrikes on southern Lebanon. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/06/israel-carries-out-wave-of- airstrikes-on-southern-lebanon