Hezbollah fires at Shebaa Farms, in first attack since start of truce
Hezbollah on Monday launched two missiles towards the occupied Shebaa Farms areas, in the first such attack by the group since the ceasefire took effect last Wednesday.
"A short while ago, the Hezbollah terrorist organization launched two projectiles toward the area of Har Dov. The projectiles fell in open areas. No injuries are reported," the Israeli army said, using Israel's term for the disputed Shebaa Farms area, where the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel meet.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it comes as an "initial defensive and cautionary response" to Israel’s "repeated violations of the cessation of hostilities agreement."
Lebanon had accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times over the past six days, some of which were deadly.
Israel’s breaches "have taken several forms, including shootings against civilians and airstrikes on various regions of Lebanon, which resulted in the martyrdom of citizens and the wounding of others," Hezbollah said.
"Moreover, hostile Israeli aircraft have continued to violate Lebanese airspace, all the way to the capital Beirut," Hezbollah added, noting that its move comes after "the complaints to the relevant sides have failed to stop these violations."
Hezbollah also warned Israel against further breaches.
Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel on Monday of committing 54 breaches of the ceasefire, including the alleged demolition of homes in border villages, the persistent overflight of Israeli reconnaissance drones, and airstrikes that have caused casualties.
Berri called for urgent intervention to halt what he called "flagrant violations."
- Israeli violations -
One person was killed Monday in an Israeli drone strike that hit a motorcycle in Jdeidet Marjayoun, while the Lebanese army said that a soldier was wounded in an Israeli strike on a military bulldozer at an army base in Hermel.
The Israeli military said that it carried out a series of strikes in Lebanon on Sunday and Monday, including one in the same area where the soldier was said to have been wounded. It said it struck several military vehicles in Lebanon’s Bekaa province as well as strikes on Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.
The incidents underscored the fragility of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah reached after nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting.
Since the ceasefire went into effect on Wednesday, Israel has struck several times and said it was in response to ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon has accused Israel of violating the deal but Hezbollah had not resumed its rocket fire until today.
-Israel says Hezbollah violating truce -
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Monday rejected accusations that Israel is violating the tenuous ceasefire agreement, saying it was responding to Hezbollah violations.
In a post on X, Saar said that he made that point in a call with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot. France, along with the U.S., helped broker the deal and is part of an international monitoring committee meant to ensure the sides uphold their commitments.
Israel says that it reserves the right under the deal to respond to perceived ceasefire violations.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/309547 |