Israeli violations persist: Hezbollah retaliates for the first time amid fragile ceasefire

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

On the sixth day of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, tensions escalated significantly.

However, despite multiple violations and heightened military activity, the truce held firm, avoiding collapse.

Israeli forces carried out on Monday artillery shelling, airstrikes, drone operations, and incursions deeper into Lebanese territory than seen since November 27. 

In response, Hezbollah retaliated for the first time, targeting the Israeli position at Ruwaisat Al-Alam in the occupied Kfarchouba hills.

Hezbollah characterized its response as defensive and precautionary, targeting an area not subject to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. The move was described as a warning, aiming to deter Israel from solidifying its occupation and establishing new rules of engagement. 

The group emphasized that its actions were a warning against Israeli provocations and a failure to address ongoing violations through diplomatic channels. Its statement concluded with the phrase, "You have been warned," underscoring its intent to maintain deterrence without breaching the ceasefire agreement.

On the seventh day of the ceasefire, tensions slightly eased, but Israeli violations persisted. In Shebaa, an Israeli drone strike killed Jamal Saab, a shepherd tending his livestock. In Beit Lif, another strike injured a civilian who was repairing a power line. 

Meanwhile, in Maroun El Ras, Israeli forces detonated explosives in residential neighborhoods and homes.

Maroun El Ras, located at an altitude of over 900 meters, holds strategic significance, overlooking several settlements in northern Israel, including Avivim, as well as Lebanese towns such as Bint Jbeil.

As Israeli breaches continue both on the ground and in the air, attention shifts to the ceasefire monitoring committee overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire. Military sources indicate that a French officer is expected to arrive on Wednesday, with the committee's inaugural meeting likely to follow soon after.

On the Lebanese side, the army has appointed Brigadier General Edgar Lawandos, commander of the South Litani Sector, as head of the Lebanese delegation to the committee.