Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets in South Lebanon as Iran Delays Delegation Trip

The IDF said it struck Hezbollah terrorists and terror infrastructure overnight and continued attacking in several areas of southern Lebanon, saying the operation followed repeated Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire. Lebanese media reported overnight exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge area near the town of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah issued a statement overnight saying the area where the IDF was trying to advance would resist any enemy incursion, and that its fighters were battling to defend their villages and people. Hezbollah also reported late Monday that its fighters had been involved in “clashes” with an Israeli force that tried to move toward the outskirts of Kfar Tibnit, near Nabatieh.

Lebanese Hezbollah-linked outlet Al-Mayadeen reported that the Iranian delegation suspended its trip to Switzerland because of the continuing Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. According to the report, Iran told the United States and the mediators that the Lebanon issue is central to whether the talks can continue or be stopped.

Al-Mayadeen said Iran warned that Israeli strikes up to 10 kilometers inside Lebanon constitute a clear violation of the first clause in the memorandum of understanding. A senior American official said one reason for postponing the trip may be Iranian claims about the situation in Lebanon, and added that Tehran’s allegations of Israeli ceasefire violations may be why the talks did not take place today.