Netanyahu announces expansion of military operations in Lebanon despite US truce

During the meeting of the Security Cabinet, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the expansion of military operations in Lebanon despite the ceasefire in force since last April. Netanyahu stressed that the Israeli army "operates with large forces on the ground and controls strategic areas," without identifying those areas. Recent hours have witnessed a remarkable escalation in the Israeli aggression against Lebanon, where the Israeli forces carried out 105 attacks In the south and east of the country, 8 people were killed and 4 others were injured. An Israeli force also penetrated the eastern town of Zawtar, north of the Litani River, amid clashes with Hezbollah. Israeli media reports revealed that Tel Aviv informed the US administration of its intention to expand its military operations in Lebanon, through the US ambassador to Israel and not in a direct conversation between Netanyahu and Trump. The sources pointed to the grumbling of Israeli military officials about the restrictions which limits the freedom to work in Beirut. This escalation comes in light of the ongoing developments regarding the potential agreement between Washington and Tehran, which may include the Lebanese arena according to Israeli expectations. Official statistics indicate that more than 3,200 people have been killed and 9,700 injured in Lebanon since the beginning of the Israeli aggression last March, in addition to the displacement of more than a million people. Israel continues to occupy areas of southern Lebanon, some for decades and some The other since the last war, as it penetrated during the current aggression for a distance of about 10 kilometers within the southern borders of Lebanon, in flagrant violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.