Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon killed four people on Sunday, the official Lebanese news agency reported. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement.
Ceasefire tensions persist
Despite a ceasefire implemented in November 2024, which in theory ended over a year of hostilities including two months of open conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, Israel continues near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon, mainly in the south, while maintaining troops in five strategically significant areas.
In addition to Hezbollah, the Israeli military says it also targets Palestinian groups present in Lebanon, particularly Hamas. Sunday’s strike was the first against Palestinian Islamic Jihad announced by Israel since the ceasefire took effect.
Details of the strike
According to the ANI news agency, an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle struck a vehicle near the Lebanon–Syria border, killing four people. The Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed the casualties. Israel stated that the strike targeted “terrorists of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Majdal Anjar area.”
Several members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad had previously been killed during clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, which erupted following the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip. At that time, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas claimed responsibility for attacks and infiltration attempts into Israel from Lebanon.
Humanitarian impact
Official Lebanese data indicate that more than 370 people have died in the country since the ceasefire, with the UN estimating that over 100 were civilians.
Earlier in January, the Lebanese army reported that it had completed the first phase of a plan to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River, about 30 kilometres from the Israeli border. While some Palestinian factions handed over weapons in 2025, neither Hamas nor Palestinian Islamic Jihad have signalled any intention to disarm.
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