Lebanon fears ceasefire breakdown due to Israeli violations

Lebanese officials are increasingly concerned that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah could collapse due to ongoing Israeli violations.

One month after the truce was implemented and just a month before it was set to transition into a permanent ceasefire, Lebanon is once again bracing for the worst-case scenario, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The conflict in Lebanon escalated for over a year after Hezbollah, backed by Iran, intervened in Israel’s war on Gaza, which began on October 8, 2023. The war has left extensive destruction and displacement in both nations, but Lebanon has suffered particularly severe consequences.

Over 4,000 people, including hundreds of children, have been killed, and entire villages have been obliterated. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese are now displaced, with their homes reduced to rubble. The country, already grappling with a prolonged economic crisis, faces additional challenges as critical sectors like healthcare have been severely impacted, hindering its ability to adequately address the ongoing emergency.

“The situation is very bad,” a security official said. “There is a feeling in Lebanese circles that Israel doesn’t want the deal any more or that it is preparing the ground for some type of permanent occupation.”

The agreement signed a month ago, which ended the devastating war, includes a 60-day truce during which Hezbollah is expected to withdraw north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops are to pull back from southern Lebanon. 

Based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the previous war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, the truce also requires the Lebanese army to increase its presence in the south. Lebanese officials report that since the agreement was signed on November 27, Israel has committed more than 300 violations, including significant incursions into various southern Lebanese areas. 

By Naila Huseynova