The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah since it took effect last Wednesday, November 27, by carrying out various forms of aggression across Lebanon, which included dozens of airstrikes and firing on civilians. At least eleven people, including a State Security officer were reportedly killed as a result of the assaults.
In response to the recurrent Israeli violations, Hezbollah carried out an initial defensive and warning attack on Monday, December 2, targeting IOF’s “Ruwaisat Al-Alam” site, in the occupied Lebanese hills of Kfar Shuba, according to a statement issued by the resistance group.
The Israeli violations raised concerns that the already fragile ceasefire deal would be annihilated. Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who helped in mediating the ceasefire agreement, slammed Israel for its violations in a statement issued by his office on Monday. “The aggressive actions carried out by Israeli occupation forces constitute a flagrant violation of the terms of the ceasefire agreement,” Berri said.
In an attempt to mitigate Israel’s breach of the agreement, the United States National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby described the attacks launched by the IOF since the deal went into effect on Monday, as “sporadic” and “expected” under the agreement’s terms claiming that a “mechanism” has been set up to address violations. Kirby also confirmed that despite those sporadic attacks the ceasefire is holding. “We did put in place a mechanism to actually work out, and de-conflict, and to try to stop these attacks. That mechanism is in full force and is working. Largely speaking, though, the ceasefire is holding”, Kirby said.
On Tuesday, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati alongside Nabih Berri reportedly called on the United States and France to press Israel to uphold the ceasefire agreement. The two Lebanese officials also stressed on the urgent need for international intervention to restore calm and stability in Lebanon to enable the return of displaced residents to their homes and expanding the deployment of the Lebanese Army in the south.
Nevertheless, Israel seems to be set on wreaking havoc in the region. On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned, during a visit to the northern border, that the IOF would attack Lebanese state’s targets, if the ceasefire deal fails. “If the ceasefire collapses – there will not be anymore exemption to the state of Lebanon,” Katz said, claiming that the violations of the ceasefire agreement were anticipated by Hezbollah.
