Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AFP

Lebanon’s leaders are angry after Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Beirut just before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. They say Israel broke a ceasefire agreement that was supposed to stop the fighting between both sides.

The Israeli military said it was attacking secret underground factories where Hezbollah was building drones. At least three airstrikes hit areas in the southern suburbs of Beirut. These areas are known to be strongholds of Hezbollah, a group supported by Iran.

Before the attacks, many people in the area were warned to leave. Roads quickly filled with cars as people tried to escape. Big clouds of smoke were seen rising from the city after the strikes.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun called the attacks a “clear act of aggression” and said they were a “violation of an international agreement,” especially since they happened right before a religious holiday. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also strongly criticized the airstrikes.

Israel said Hezbollah has been using drones more often in its attacks, and that's why it was targeting these production sites. They claim Hezbollah broke the ceasefire first by building drone factories in neighborhoods with many civilians.

The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had started more than a year ago during the war in Gaza. A ceasefire was agreed on November 27 to stop the violence. Part of that deal was for Hezbollah fighters to move away from the border and for Israel to pull its troops from Lebanon.

So far, Israel has not removed all of its troops. It still holds five key positions near the border. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army has been trying to remove Hezbollah’s weapons and bases in the south. The Prime Minister said they have already taken down over 500 of them.

Strikes like these in Beirut are rare, even though Israel still carries out attacks in southern Lebanon. This latest attack is being seen as a serious threat to peace, especially during such an important holiday.