On Thursday, December 18, 2025, Israeli warplanes launched a sweeping series of airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, targeting what the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) described as Hezbollah military infrastructure. The strikes, which stretched from the mountainous Beqaa Valley in the east to the Litani River corridor and Mount Rihan in the south, marked one of the most intense days of cross-border violence since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in November 2024, according to reports from Caliber.Az, National News Agency (NNA), and Shafaq News.
The timing of the airstrikes was no coincidence. They came just one day before a crucial meeting of the International Monitoring and Implementation Mechanism (IMIM)—a committee charged with overseeing the fragile ceasefire. This body, which includes the United States, France, the United Nations, Lebanon, and Israel, was set to convene on Friday, December 19, 2025, to assess progress and ongoing violations. The strikes also coincided with high-level diplomatic activity in Paris, where Lebanon’s army commander, Gen. Rodolph Haikal, met with American, French, and Saudi officials to discuss border security and the looming deadline to disarm Hezbollah.
According to the IDF, the airstrikes targeted a range of Hezbollah sites: a military compound used for training and weapons storage, launch platforms, and other infrastructure alleged to be used for planning and launching attacks against Israeli troops and civilians. "The compound was used to conduct training courses, including shooting exercises and instruction on the use of various weapons for planning and carrying out attacks against Israeli troops and civilians," the IDF stated, as reported by Caliber.Az. Additional strikes hit what the IDF called "Hezbollah military structures" that had remained operational in recent weeks.
Lebanese state media and government sources confirmed the strikes, with the NNA reporting that Israeli warplanes struck the Zighrine highlands in the Beqaa Valley, as well as the mountainous areas of Tarya and Boudai. In the south, airstrikes hit Iqlim Al-Tuffah and the Litani River corridor. Drones were also seen flying over Beirut’s southern suburbs, and an Israeli drone strike in the town of Taybeh targeted a vehicle, reportedly killing a Hezbollah member and wounding four others. Lebanon’s health ministry said the Taybeh strike injured four people, including employees of the state electricity company whose truck was passing near the targeted vehicle, according to AFP and the NNA.
The human cost of these ongoing hostilities is mounting. Since the ceasefire began in November 2024, at least 340 people have been killed and more than 970 injured in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, based on tallies from Lebanon’s Health Ministry and AFP reports. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has documented more than 10,000 Israeli ceasefire violations, while Israel maintains troops at five positions south of the Litani River—areas from which Lebanon has repeatedly demanded a full withdrawal.
Despite the ceasefire, both sides accuse each other of undermining peace. Israel insists that Hezbollah continues to rearm, casting doubt on the Lebanese army’s ability to dismantle the group’s military infrastructure. "The presence of such infrastructure and Hezbollah’s activities constituted a violation of existing understandings between Israel and Lebanon and posed a threat to Israel’s security," the IDF said, according to Caliber.Az. Israeli officials have made clear that they will continue operations "aimed at removing threats to Israel and preventing Hezbollah’s reestablishment."
On the Lebanese side, the government faces mounting international pressure to fulfill its pledge to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River by the end of 2025. Under a government-approved plan, the Lebanese army is tasked with clearing the border area of Hezbollah’s armed presence before addressing the rest of the country. Gen. Haikal, Lebanon’s army chief, reaffirmed his commitment to this timeline during talks in Paris with French armed forces chief Gen. Fabien Mandon. "Lebanon’s military is committed to implementing the first phase of the ceasefire deal near the border with Israel within the specified time frame," Haikal reportedly stated, as cited by Associated Press.
The Paris talks, attended by American, French, and Saudi officials, were part of a broader diplomatic push to support the Lebanese armed forces and to demonstrate progress toward Hezbollah’s disarmament. The French Foreign Ministry announced plans for a conference in February 2026 aimed at bolstering the Lebanese army, while discussions in Paris this week focused on developing a roadmap for a disarmament mechanism. "France’s help to the Lebanese army is guided by a common objective, which is to contribute to maintaining stability and lasting peace, in respect with Lebanon’s sovereignty," Gen. Mandon said, according to Associated Press.
In Lebanon, the strikes drew sharp criticism from political leaders. Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri characterized the airstrikes as "an Israeli message to the Paris conference dedicated to supporting the Lebanese army." He added, "The fire belt of Israeli airstrikes is to honor the mechanism’s meeting tomorrow [Friday]," as quoted by AFP and Shafaq News. Berri’s comments reflect a widely held view in Beirut that Israel’s military actions are as much about shaping international negotiations as they are about countering Hezbollah on the ground.
The international context is equally fraught. The latest war between Israel and Hezbollah erupted on October 8, 2023, after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel and Hezbollah fired rockets in solidarity. Israel responded with a massive bombardment of Lebanon in September 2024, followed by a ground invasion that severely weakened Hezbollah but failed to fully eliminate its military capabilities. Since then, Israeli airstrikes have become a near-daily occurrence, targeting Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure but also resulting in civilian casualties. According to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, 127 civilians have been killed in these operations.
Amid all this, regional actors are seeking to prevent a wider escalation. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly arrived in Beirut for a two-day visit focused on reinforcing security and promoting stability, as reported by Shafaq News. The hope is that renewed diplomatic engagement, backed by international pressure and support for Lebanon’s armed forces, can avert another full-scale war along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Yet, as the year-end deadline to disarm Hezbollah approaches, the risk of renewed conflict remains high. Both sides are locked in a cycle of provocation and retaliation, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The coming weeks will test whether diplomacy and international oversight can hold the ceasefire together—or whether the region is once again headed toward a broader and bloodier confrontation.
