At least a dozen Israeli airstrikesat least 127 civilians, including children, have been killed in Lebanon since the ceasefire began in late 2024 and has warned the strikes may amount to "war crimes." Diplomatic steps — including civilian envoys and a ceasefire monitoring committee — are under way, but officials say distrust and repeated attacks threaten to derail efforts to stabilise the border.
Israeli Airstrikes Hit Southern Lebanon as Ceasefire Breaches Continue; UN Warns of Civilian Toll
Israeli air strike carried out in Lebanon on Friday, December 12, 2025 [Al Jazeera Screengrab]
Israeli warplanes carried out at least a dozen strikes across southern Lebanon, targeting sites the Israeli military says are used by Hezbollah for weapons training. The strikes are the latest in a near-daily pattern of operations that critics say undermine a year-old ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
Where the Raids Hit
State media in Lebanon reported strikes in the Jezzine and Zahrani districts, with hits near al-Aaichiyeh, between al-Zrariyeh and Ansar, around Jabal al-Rafie, and on the outskirts of several towns. Reporters said the attacks were concentrated in hills and valleys rather than densely populated neighbourhoods.
What Israel Says
The Israeli military said it struck a compound used by Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force for weapons training and also targeted alleged rocket-launching positions and other infrastructure. Israeli officials described the operations as necessary to prevent planned attacks on Israeli forces and civilians and to enforce understandings between the two countries.
Hezbollah’s Position
Hezbollah has refused to disarm while Israeli strikes and occupations of parts of Lebanese territory continue. Analysts and local reporters say the group is unlikely to relinquish its arsenal, which it views as essential to deterrence.
Human Cost and International Reaction
The United Nations has sharply criticised the continued bombardment. In November, the UN reported that at least 127 civilians, including children, have been killed in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect in late 2024 and warned the strikes may amount to war crimes.
UN officials: "The attacks may amount to war crimes."
Wider Political Context
Al Jazeera correspondent Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, described the truce as "one-sided," noting that Israel has maintained near-daily strikes and that recent raids deliberately avoided dense population centres. Khodr characterised the operations as part of sustained military pressure intended to degrade Hezbollah’s capabilities and compel the group to relinquish long-range and precision weapons.
Tensions escalated two weeks earlier when Israel struck the southern suburbs of Beirut, killing a senior Hezbollah military commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai. Hezbollah has not publicly launched a large-scale retaliation, saying it will act "at the right time."
The attacks coincided with diplomatic steps: Lebanon and Israel recently sent civilian envoys to a committee monitoring the ceasefire for the first time in decades, an effort designed to broaden engagement and reduce the risk of wider conflict. However, some Lebanese and Hezbollah leaders criticised those outreach efforts as concessions to Israel, and Lebanese officials remain frustrated by the near-daily raids.
President Joseph Aoun said Lebanon has "adopted the option of negotiations with Israel" to try to halt the attacks, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has pushed for stronger verification mechanisms to monitor alleged Israeli violations and Lebanese Army actions aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure. US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa warned that diplomatic talks do not guarantee an end to Israeli strikes.
Outlook
Diplomatic engagement and ceasefire monitoring provide a channel for de-escalation, but persistent strikes, mutual distrust, and the high civilian toll make the situation fragile. Observers warn that continued operations risk further civilian harm and could undermine efforts to stabilise the border region.
