Israeli forces struck Sohmor in the Bekaa Valley after warning residents to evacuate a building described as "Hezbollah military infrastructure." Hezbollah-aligned media reported two residential buildings were hit. The strikes come amid intensified pressure from Israel and the US for Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, while the Lebanese army says it has completed the first phase of a southern disarmament plan and will brief the cabinet next month. Hezbollah warns that extending disarmament beyond the south could spark instability, though it says it will avoid direct clashes with the Lebanese army.
Israeli Forces Strike Sohmor In Bekaa Valley After Evacuation Warning; Disarmament Row With Hezbollah Intensifies
(Al Jazeera)
Israeli forces struck the village of Sohmor in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley after warning residents to evacuate a building the army said contained "Hezbollah military infrastructure," local media report.
In a social media post on Thursday, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee told Sohmor residents to leave ahead of a planned strike on the targeted building. The Israeli military later said it had hit multiple "Hezbollah sites" across Lebanon, without specifying all locations.
Hezbollah-affiliated broadcaster Al Manar reported that two residential buildings in Sohmor were hit. There has been no independent confirmation of the full extent of damage or casualties at the time of reporting.
Context And Escalation
These strikes come amid near-daily Israeli operations in Lebanon despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah that took effect in late 2024. The attacks have risen in recent months as Israel — backed diplomatically by the United States — presses the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.
Last week, the Lebanese army announced completion of the first phase of a plan to bring weapons held by non-state actors under state control in the area between the Litani River and the Israeli border. On January 8 the army said it had established a state monopoly on arms in the south "in an effective and tangible way," though it did not explicitly name Hezbollah.
The Lebanese cabinet has requested a briefing from the army early next month on how it will pursue disarmament in other parts of the country. Army sources say implementing a nationwide plan will be difficult if Hezbollah refuses to cooperate.
Hezbollah’s Response
Senior Hezbollah political official Mahmoud Qmati warned this week that attempts to disarm the group beyond the southern border area could trigger instability or even civil war. In an interview with Russian outlet RT, Qmati called any effort to impose a state monopoly on arms north of the Litani River "the biggest crime committed by the state," while adding that Hezbollah would not be dragged into a direct confrontation with the Lebanese army.
"There will be no talk or dialogue about any situation north of the Litani River before Israel withdraws from all Lebanese territory, liberates the South and the prisoners, and stops its violations against Lebanon," Qmati said.
Hezbollah argues it needs to retain arms to deter a possible Israeli reoccupation of southern Lebanon, where the Lebanese army says it lacks the capacity to respond effectively. Israel, for its part, continues to maintain forces in five areas of southern Lebanon, which critics say violates the 2024 truce.
What This Means
Analysts and local correspondents say the targeting of areas north of the Litani River signals a potential "phase two" in pressure to disarm Hezbollah, raising concerns about further escalation and the risks to civilians. Lebanese officials say the army needs time to prepare a detailed plan for wider disarmament and will present that to the cabinet next month.
Reporting is ongoing. Independent verification of claims from all sides remains limited; casualties, damage assessments and the precise locations of all strikes have not been fully confirmed.
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