JERUSALEM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said Tuesday afternoon that it carried out new strikes in southern Lebanon, hours after striking multiple sites across the country.
"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) struck Hezbollah terrorists in the area of Kherbet Selem in southern Lebanon," an Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the strike was in response to Hezbollah's attempts to rebuild its military power.
The statement did not mention if any casualties were resulted from the strikes.
On Monday and early Tuesday, the IDF already carried out a wave of airstrikes on multiple sites in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, extending as far as Sidon, the country's third-largest city, and injuring several people, according to Israeli and Lebanese sources.
The IDF claimed those strikes aimed at Hezbollah and Hamas sites.
In response to the strikes, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Tuesday that the timing of them raises serious questions, as they occurred on the eve of a meeting of the committee overseeing the ceasefire mechanism in southern Lebanon.
According to Aoun, the meeting is scheduled to convene on Wednesday to work toward halting hostilities and discussing practical measures to restore security and stability in southern Lebanon, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the southern border, the release of Lebanese detainees, and the deployment of the Lebanese army in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
The Israeli army has carried out frequent strikes in Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at removing Hezbollah "threats," despite a U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel that has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024. ■
