Israel has carried out multiple air strikes on Lebanon after several rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, marking the worst violence since a ceasefire came into effect last November. The Israeli military reported hitting dozens of rocket launchers and a command center belonging to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia, located in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanon's health ministry, the air strikes resulted in the death of seven people, including a child, and left 40 injured.
The first wave of strikes occurred on March 22, 2025, shortly after the rocket incident. These early attacks were followed by a second series of bombardments during the night targeting what the Israeli military described as command centers, infrastructure sites, and a weapons storage facility. The rocket barrage from Lebanon came just days after Israel escalated its offensive against Hamas, Hezbollah's ally, in Gaza. The Israeli military also reported intercepting three rockets aimed at the northern town of Metula, with no casualties reported.
Hezbollah has since distanced itself from the attacks, declaring its commitment to the ceasefire. The Lebanese military, on its part, stated it dismantled three primitive rocket launchers in the southern region that day and has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the rocket attack.
This spike in violence puts additional pressure on a fragile truce brokered by the United States and France, which had ended more than a year of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Under the ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese military was to deploy thousands of additional soldiers to southern Lebanon, ensuring that armed groups would refrain from launching attacks against Israel. In turn, Hezbollah was instructed to withdraw its fighters and weapons from these border areas, while Israel confirmed it would pull back its troops from occupied positions.
Despite these agreements, Israel has continued to conduct nearly daily air strikes, claiming such actions are necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Currently, the Israeli military maintains occupation of five locations in southern Lebanon, an action that the Lebanese government asserts violates its sovereignty and breaches the ceasefire accord. Israel contends that it must retain positions at these sites until the Lebanese military is fully deployed to secure them.
The recent rocket attack has highlighted the challenges faced by the Lebanese army, which struggles to exert control over regions where Hezbollah has historically wielded significant influence. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun, who assumed office in January, emphasized only the state should possess arms, a pointed reference to Hezbollah's military stockpile. In the wake of the attacks, he condemned any efforts to entangle Lebanon in a cycle of violence. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed concerns that the escalation could propel the country towards another war.
As international observers note, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has expressed alarm over the potential for heightened violence, urging both parties to adhere to their commitments. Hezbollah, having suffered greatly during the previous conflict, now faces mounting difficulties. Many of its leaders have been assassinated, fighters lost, and much of its arsenal depleted. Observers remark that the group is under pressure to provide aid to communities affected by the war while also facing demands from rival factions to disarm.
The ongoing conflict began intensifying after Hamas's attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which prompted Hezbollah to claim it was acting out of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. This escalation led to a severe Israeli military campaign across Lebanon, resulting in approximately 4,000 fatalities, including numerous civilians, and displacing more than 1.2 million people.
Israel's overarching goal in its operations against Hezbollah has been to facilitate the safe return of around 60,000 residents who had fled their homes in northern Lebanon due to the persistent threat of attacks. The cycle of violence and retaliatory strikes poses a grave threat to the stability of the region and undermines the efforts for lasting peace.
As the situation develops, the international community watches closely, hoping for a return to calm and an end to the hostilities that have engulfed both Israel and Lebanon in recent months.
