BEIRUT — At least 12 people were killed Tuesday in Israeli airstrikes on the Bekaa Valley region in eastern Lebanon, according to a statement by Baalbek-Hermel Governor Bachir Khodr.
Among the dead were seven Syrians, including a family of five, and three Lebanese citizens who died in the Wadi Faara area. Two additional fatalities were reported in Shmustar.
The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, saying they targeted Hezbollah facilities linked to its elite Radwan Force. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the operation hit “military compounds” and “warehouses used to store combat equipment” in multiple locations.
“These sites were being used by Hezbollah to restore its operational strength,” IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee said on X. He added that Israel considered the attacks a necessary response to emerging threats from Hezbollah in violation of earlier ceasefire terms.
Tuesday’s strikes mark the deadliest escalation since the November ceasefire brokered by the United States ended nearly a year of hostilities. That agreement required Hezbollah to retreat north of the Litani River, while Israel was to withdraw all forces from southern Lebanon. However, both sides have since accused each other of violating the pact.
Hezbollah has not formally responded to the latest incident, but described the attacks as breaches of Lebanon’s sovereignty and the ceasefire deal. The group has not confirmed any losses or issued a statement on the deaths.
The Israeli military maintains that Hezbollah’s activities in the Bekaa Valley breach the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. The resolution called for the disarmament of all non-state armed groups in Lebanon and restricted armed activity near the border.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strikes were a warning. “This is a clear message to Hezbollah and the Lebanese government,” Katz stated. “We will respond with maximum force to any attempt to rebuild Hezbollah’s military presence.”
The Bekaa Valley has been a known Hezbollah stronghold and logistics route. Israel claims the area has become a hub for regrouping and stockpiling weapons after Hezbollah’s Radwan Force suffered significant losses during the 2024 air campaign.
The Lebanese government has not issued an official statement regarding the incident. Meanwhile, civilians in the affected areas remain on edge as fears of renewed conflict grow.
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