Lebanon ceasefire: Israeli and Hezbollah strikes test truce limits

Hezbollah said its mortar attack – the first operation which it had announced since the ceasefire came into effect last Wednesday – was a “warning” in response to repeated violations by Israel.

It launched the missiles after Israel fired artillery shells and conducted at least four air strikes that killed two people, Lebanese media reported: a person on a motorbike and a member of the Lebanese security forces.

In a statement Hezbollah this was a defensive move “given that appeals to the relevant authorities to stop these (Israeli) violations have proven futile,” an apparent reference to an international committee meant to monitor the truce.

“This is an affirmation that the party remains strong and ready for any developments,” says Kassem Kassir, a Lebanese political writer specialising in Islamist movements.

“The key lies in activating the work of the international committee, ensuring the deployment of the Lebanese army, the withdrawal [of Israeli forces] from occupied Lebanese territories, and halting Israeli violations.”

Paula Yaacoubian, an independent member of Lebanon’s parliament, said Hezbollah probably fired the missiles to send a message.

“I think it can be just to tell Israel ‘we’re still here, and we can still fire’, so that Israel stops [its attacks],” she told the BBC. “It’s becoming embarrassing to Hezbollah to get all these violations and not even respond with anything.”