In a significant escalation, Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting southern and northeastern Lebanon, just before the December 31st deadline for Hezbollah to disarm. This move comes as tensions rise with the militant group.
According to reports from The Associated Press, citing Israeli military sources, the airstrikes focused on Hezbollah’s infrastructure and missile launching sites within a military compound used for training and educational purposes. Additionally, Israel confirmed that it targeted Hezbollah facilities known to store weapons.
These airstrikes occurred shortly before a scheduled meeting of the committee tasked with overseeing the implementation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. This ceasefire had brought an end to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah one year ago. The committee includes representatives from the United States, France, and United Nations peacekeepers stationed along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Smoke billows from the area struck by Israeli airstrikes near the southern Lebanese village of al-Katrani on December 18, 2025. (Rabih Daher/AFP via Getty Images)
In a related development, officials from the United States, Saudi Arabia, and France are scheduled to meet with Lebanon’s army commander, General Rodolph Haikal. The discussions are expected to focus on strategies to strengthen the Lebanese army’s presence in the border region, as reported by the AP.
Hezbollah members raise their group’s yellow flags in tribute during the funeral of Ismail Baz and Mohamad Hussein Shohury, who were killed in an Israeli strike on their vehicles in Shehabiya, South Lebanon, on April 17, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
The meeting in Paris is also meant to dissuade Israel from escalation, according to Reuters, which cited European and Lebanese diplomats and officials. The officials also said that there are concerns of political paralysis and party politics playing a role in the situation, and even possibly slowing Lebanese President Joseph Aoun from pressing for Hezbollah’s disarmament, as the country prepares for legislative elections in 2026.
The Lebanese government has said it anticipates that the army will have the border area south of the Litani River cleared of Hezbollah’s armed presence by the end of the year.
A view of the southern Lebanese town of Kfarkela as seen from the border of Israel, on Feb. 18, 2025. (Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon Nabih Berri said that the strikes were “an Israeli message to the Paris meeting,” according to the AP.
“The fire belt of Israeli airstrikes is to honor the mechanism’s meeting tomorrow,” Berri said during a parliament meeting in Beirut.
On Wednesday, Israel said it killed a Hezbollah terrorist operating in southern Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the terrorist was collecting intelligence on the Israeli military’s activity in the area and “took part in Hezbollah’s attempts to reestablish its infrastructure.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the IDF for comment.
