On the second day of the ceasefire: 12 Israeli attacks target southern Lebanon, Hezbollah vows retaliation

The past few hours have witnessed a remarkable escalation in southern Lebanon, as the Israeli occupation army carried out 12 diverse attacks on the second day of the ceasefire agreement. These aggressions included concentrated artillery shelling and systematic demolition operations of residential buildings, in addition to intensive aerial violations by warplanes and drones.

Field sources reported that the artillery shelling targeted the Tal Nahas area in the town of Kfar Kila, and the outskirts of the towns of Deir Mimas and Deir Sirian, extending to the vicinity of the town of Al-Qantara in the Marjayoun district. These movements come amidst a state of cautious anticipation prevailing in the border villages, with the continued Israeli military presence at some points.

In a related context, occupation forces carried out extensive demolition and destruction operations targeting homes and buildings in the city of Bint Jbeil, and the towns of Markaba, Taybeh, and Khiam. These operations, according to observers, aim to clear residential blocks near the border and change the geographical features of the area before the supposed full withdrawal.

Aerial violations also continued, with Israeli warplanes flying over the eastern sector, launching thermal balloons, coinciding with low-altitude flights over the western and central sectors. Drones were also spotted hovering at low altitudes over the Marjayoun district, raising concerns among residents returning to check on their properties.

For its part, the Israeli army acknowledged launching several attacks in the South, claiming they were to 'thwart threats' to its forces and prevent an immediate danger to northern towns. The occupation accused Hezbollah of violating the agreement, claiming to have targeted two cells and an underground tunnel entrance where resistance fighters were entrenched.

Tel Aviv justified its attacks based on a clause in the agreement that grants it what it describes as the 'right to self-defense' against any imminent or ongoing attacks. This clause is one of the most controversial points in the agreement, as Lebanese parties believe that Israel is exploiting it to justify the continuation of its military operations despite the cessation of hostilities.

In contrast, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stressed that the resistance would not stand idly by in the face of these continuous transgressions. Qassem affirmed in a statement that the ceasefire must be mutual and comprehensive, indicating that the resistance fighters would remain in the field with their fingers on the trigger to respond to any aggression.

Qassem clarified that the party does not trust the Israeli side and will not accept a lengthy diplomatic process that does not achieve tangible results on the ground while violations continue. He considered that the continued presence of fighters in their positions is the only guarantee to compel the occupation to abide by the terms of the agreement and prevent it from escalating its aggressions.

According to available statistics, the total number of Israeli attacks since the agreement came into effect has risen to 23, after 11 attacks were recorded on the first day. The aggressions on the first day resulted in the martyrdom of one person and the injury of others, putting the fragile agreement to a real test in its first ten days.

These field developments contradict the pledges made by US President Donald Trump, who stated that Israel would stop shelling Lebanon. Trump had claimed in a post on the 'X' platform that the United States was preventing Israel from continuing military operations, which has not actually materialized on the ground.

It is worth noting that the latest Israeli aggression on Lebanon, which began on March 2nd, has caused immense human and material losses. According to the latest official data, more than 2294 people have been martyred and about 7544 others injured, in one of the fiercest rounds of conflict in recent years.

The aggression also caused the displacement of more than one million Lebanese from their villages and cities, especially in the South, Bekaa, and the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Lebanese government faces enormous challenges in securing the return of the displaced and rebuilding what the Israeli military machine destroyed during 45 days of continuous shelling.

Reports indicate that Israel continues its daily pattern of violations that it has followed since October 2023, despite repeated announcements of truces and agreements. Analysts believe that Tel Aviv seeks to impose a new reality on the ground in southern Lebanon before fully committing to any long-term security arrangements.

The fate of the ceasefire agreement remains dependent on the parties' commitment to calm during the specified 10-day period, which is extendable. Amidst continued shelling and aerial flights, international and local pressures are increasing to ensure that the agreement does not collapse and return to a full-scale confrontation.

A ceasefire means a complete cessation of all hostilities, and because we do not trust this enemy, the resistance fighters will remain in the field with their fingers on the trigger.