South Lebanon has witnessed the most intense Israeli strikes since the Feb. 18 Israeli withdrawal deadline expired, with an airstrike on Saturday targeting a vehicle, killing one person and injuring another.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated on platform X that an Israeli Air Force drone struck a Hezbollah operative involved in rebuilding “terrorist infrastructure” in southern Lebanon. He emphasized that Israel would continue operations to eliminate threats and prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing its presence.
Israeli warplanes conducted extensive flights over Nabatieh and Iqlim al-Tuffah at medium altitude, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). This came hours after more than 20 heavy airstrikes targeted several southern towns on Friday night, including locations in Mount Rihan, Sidon, and other areas.
The Israeli military confirmed strikes on Hezbollah military sites, claiming they had identified weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites that posed a threat to Israel.
Despite the ongoing escalation, Hezbollah has maintained “military silence,” instead placing responsibility on the Lebanese state. This stance was reiterated by MP Hussein Hajj Hassan on Saturday.
Riad Kahwaji, head of the Middle East and Gulf Military Analysis Center (INEGMA), sees this as Hezbollah’s way of avoiding accountability to its own supporters.
“The party is trying to escape public criticism for its flawed strategy, which dragged Lebanon into war and caused widespread destruction and casualties,” Kahwaji told Asharq Al-Awsat. He argued that Hezbollah is shifting the burden onto the government, holding it responsible for reconstruction and the Israeli withdrawal. He described this as a tactic to divert attention from the real situation.
Kahwaji added that Hezbollah is likely to later argue that the only solution lies in retaining its weapons and relying on Iranian funding—which is currently restricted—to finance reconstruction efforts.
Speaking at a ceremony honoring a fallen fighter, MP Hussein Hajj Hassan stated that there are still at least five occupied points along the border and an Israeli-declared “security strip.” He insisted that the Lebanese government must address key questions from the public, particularly from southern residents and the families of martyrs and prisoners.
“What is the government’s response to the continued occupation? What are its options? How will it deal with American indifference—or even complicity—with Israel?” he asked. He also criticized the US role as the head of the five-nation committee overseeing the ceasefire implementation, accusing Washington of fully supporting Israeli aggression.
