An Israeli tank rolls through the southern Lebanese village of Yaroun. AFP
An Israeli tank rolls through the southern Lebanese village of Yaroun. AFP

Israel bombs Bekaa Valley in continuing attacks on Lebanon



Israel's military said it bombed Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley overnight, including weapons manufacturing centres near the border with Syria.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said one of the attacks hit a lorry loaded with batteries and scrap metal in the Wadi Khaled area.

“The targets that were struck include a Hezbollah terrorist site containing underground infrastructure, used to develop and manufacture weaponry and additional terrorist infrastructure sites on the Syrian-Lebanese border used by Hezbollah to smuggle weaponry into Lebanon,” the Israeli military said on Friday.

It said the targets hit had “posed a threat” to Israel and its troops.

Israel continues to carry out air strikes on Lebanon despite agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah in late November. The ceasefire was extended until February 18 after Israel failed to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon within a 60-day deadline.

Most of Israel's bombings have struck southern Lebanon, while attacks in the eastern Bekaa Valley have typically been in border areas with Syria that were previously used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons into Lebanon.

On Thursday, the Israeli military said it intercepted a Hezbollah surveillance drone approaching Israeli territory, which it said “represents a breach of the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon”.

Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the agreement hundreds of times.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Lebanon will deploy its army in the south as Hezbollah pulls its forces back to north of the Litani River, about 30km from the border with Israel.

The Lebanese army has accused the Israeli army of deliberately delaying its withdrawal, while Israel justified its continued occupation by saying Hezbollah's pullback and the Lebanese army deployment had not been completed.

Updated: January 31, 2025, 12:46 PM