Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

AFP | Beirut

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Israel struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon yesterday as the group rejected the prospect of direct political talks between the countries and vowed to defend itself.

The Israeli military confirmed a new series of strikes had begun after warning civilians to evacuate certain buildings in three Lebanese villages: Taybeh, Tayr Debba and Aita al-Jabal.

An Israeli strike had already killed one person, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The Israeli military said it had targeted a Hezbollah construction team.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in November last year, under a deal backed by the United States, France and international mediators, but Israeli strikes on Hezbollah have continued as it accuses the group of trying to rebuild its forces.

“We will not allow Hezbollah to rearm themselves, to recover, build back up its strength, to threaten the state of Israel,” Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian told reporters, accusing the group of “continuous terrorist activities.”

At the same time, Hezbollah lashed out at Lebanon’s leadership, rejecting suggestions that it might be time to begin direct political talks with Israel.

A source close to Hezbollah’s political leadership told AFP the declaration followed recent US and Egyptian pressure on Lebanon’s leaders to open direct negotiations.

Lebanon and Israel are still technically in a state of war, but all the recent armed conflicts with Israel were fought by Hezbollah, not the Lebanese military.

The only diplomatic contact between Israel and Lebanon is through a ceasefire monitoring mechanism, which includes the United States, France and the United Nations.

This body meets regularly at the headquarters of the UN force in southern Lebanon but the Lebanese and Israeli parties do not directly communicate with each other.

Disarmament drive

Hezbollah was the only movement in Lebanon that refused to disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war, first claiming it had a duty to liberate territory occupied by Israel, and then to continue defending the country.

In an open letter to the Lebanese people and their leaders, Hezbollah said it rejected “any political negotiations” between Lebanon and Israel and that such talks would “not serve the national interest”.

Hezbollah is backed by Iran, which also fought its own war against Israel earlier this year. “We reaffirm our legitimate right... to defend ourselves against an enemy that imposes war on our country and does not cease its attacks,” Hezbollah added.

The group nevertheless said it remained committed to a ceasefire reached with Israel last year, after months of hostilities that escalated into an all-out war.

Israel warned last week it could intensify operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the group of trying to rearm, after it suffered staggering losses in the last war.