Israeli raids target southern Lebanon amid sharp division in Tel Aviv over ceasefire agreement

Israeli occupation drones intensified their aerial raids this Thursday morning, targeting several towns and villages deep in southern Lebanon, just hours after leaks about a conditional ceasefire agreement reached under American auspices. Field sources reported that the shelling hit civilian cars and vital sites in the Nabatieh district, resulting in civilian casualties and extensive material damage.

In details of the attacks, an Israeli drone targeted a car on the Zifta-Al-Numairiya road, injuring three people with varying degrees of severity, who were subsequently transferred to the hospital. The raids also hit the Kafr Tibnit roundabout and the emergency intersection between Kafr Rumman and Haboush, in a field escalation that reflects the occupation's insistence on continuing military operations despite international diplomatic efforts.

For its part, the Israeli occupation army confirmed in an official statement the continuation of its operations within Lebanese territory, claiming that the goal is to remove what it described as threats directed against its citizens. This stance raises major questions about the seriousness of commitment to any ceasefire understandings recently announced in Washington, portending a new round of escalation.

On the internal political front in Israel, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir launched a scathing attack on the agreement, describing it as a 'grave mistake' that would allow Hezbollah to regain its military strength. Ben-Gvir demanded an emergency meeting of the ministerial cabinet ('the War Cabinet') to vote against the agreement, considering the Lebanese state a partner in military operations and not to be trusted.

Ben-Gvir accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of succumbing to pressure from the American administration, indicating that Netanyahu's advisors are leading him towards wrong strategic choices. The extremist minister stressed the necessity of saying 'no' to the United States in critical moments, warning that Hezbollah would return next time more dangerous and powerful if this agreement were passed.

In a related context, Israeli Security Minister Yisrael Katz stated that Israeli forces would not withdraw from the positions they had seized in southern Lebanon, specifically the strategic Beaufort Castle area. Katz clarified that military operations would continue against Hezbollah's infrastructure, emphasizing that field action would remain in place based on Israel's perceived security necessities.

Journalistic sources indicated that Katz tried to balance defending the government's decision, based on the importance of the alliance with Washington, with asserting no concession of field gains. This contradiction in Israeli statements reflects the extent of the division within the ruling coalition on how to deal with the northern front and the required security guarantees.

On the Lebanese side, civil defense bodies in the Tyre region issued urgent appeals to displaced persons, urging them to wait and not return immediately to their border villages. The bodies warned of the dangers of war remnants and unexploded bombs at raid sites, emphasizing the need to await official statements that define safe return routes to preserve the lives of citizens.

In the field, Hezbollah announced the execution of a series of military operations during the night hours, targeting gatherings of occupation soldiers in the areas of Yahmar al-Shaqif, Debbine, and al-Qantara. The party also confirmed its confrontation with an advanced Israeli drone of the 'Hermes 450' type in the western sector's airspace, forcing it to leave Lebanese airspace, as part of what it described as defending Lebanese territory.

The agreement is unenforceable, the Lebanese state is not trustworthy, and Hezbollah has not left the area south of the Litani River.