One killed and several injured in Israeli strikes on Bekaa

On Monday afternoon, Israeli warplanes carried out three airstrikes on the Anti-Lebanon mountain range near the Syrian border, targeting the area of Brital and its surroundings and killing at least one person, according to our correspondent.

In contrast, a fragile calm prevailed throughout the day in South Lebanon, where the Israeli army continues to occupy several positions in violation of the cease-fire agreement reached in late November between Israel and Hezbollah. That agreement had ended over a year of deadly clashes and bombings, mainly in South Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Footage obtained by L’Orient Today shows black plumes of smoke rising from the arid backcountry of Brital, where fires broke out following the strikes. The first two airstrikes targeted the surrounding hills, while the third hit a house belonging to the Tleiss family in the village center, causing significant damage. Israeli drones were also reported flying over the Bekaa region.

The Israeli army, which usually confirms strikes in Lebanon through its Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, has not commented on Monday’s attacks.

Despite the cease-fire reached on Nov. 27, 2024, between Israel and Hezbollah, the Israeli military has continued its operations in South Lebanon and the Bekaa, claiming to target Hezbollah personnel and infrastructure. Since the agreement, near-daily fire and airstrikes have killed at least 165 people over the past six months, according to L'Orient Todays' tally.

By the end of the day, Israeli fighter jets were reported flying over the Mount Hermon heights, overlooking the Rashaya al-Wadi area, as well as the eastern and western Bekaa regions and the slopes facing the Bekaa plain, according to our regional correspondent.

In the early evening, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade in the town of Ramia and injured one, according to our correspondent.