Israeli strikes on the heights of Hermel, Sept. 8, 2025. (Credit: Photo obtained by our correspondent Sarah Abdallah)
BEIRUT — Five people were killed and five others injured Monday afternoon when Israeli warplanes carried out around a dozen airstrikes on the heights of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range near the Syrian border in north-eastern Lebanon, according to reports from L'Orient Today's correspondent in the area.
The Health Ministry later confirmed these figures, adding that it is a "preliminary toll."
The Israeli army claimed the strikes hit alleged "training camps" of Hezbollah's elite al-Radwan unit.
According to reports from our correspondent, the strikes hit the outskirts of Halabta and Harabta, Zeghrin and Sherbin, Labweh and the areas around Nabi Moussa, between Zboud and Sbouba in northern Bekaa.
Israeli drones continued to fly over the bombed zones. A video obtained from local residents shows at least four plumes of smoke rising above the arid heights of the Anti-Lebanon range.
They also caused a major fire, our correspondent said. First responders headed to the scene.
Hezbollah training and weapons storage
Commenting on the attacks, Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed the army had targeted "Hezbollah targets" in the Bekaa, specifically "camps of its elite al-Radwan unit (...) that were used to store weapons and where Hezbollah members had been observed."
He added that "Hezbollah used these camps to train and prepare terrorists to plan and carry out attacks against the Israeli army and Israel," claiming Hezbollah is violating the cease-fire that took effect on Nov. 27, 2024.
The Israeli army itself violates the truce almost daily, in strikes in southern Lebanon and less often in Bekaa.
Monday's strikes came as a security source denied to L'Orient Today allegations published in the pro-Hezbollah daily al-Akhbar that Israel has demanded — via the United States — that the Lebanese Army begin a disarmament plan in the Baalbeck and Hermel regions.
According to the report, U.S. officials allegedly asked the army to verify certain sites in these locations, based on information provided by Israel and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The security source denied these claims, saying the army will begin implementing the disarmament plan in southern Lebanon, where it has been deployed for months to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure south of the Litani River.
On Friday, Cabinet endorsed the army's plan for disarming militias in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, which lays out operations in five phases across different regions of the country.
The Anti-Lebanon range has been repeatedly targeted by Israeli strikes since the truce began. The Israeli army claims to target infrastructure used for arms trafficking via neighboring Syria, including tunnels and covert crossings.
Southern Lebanon
A Lebanese shepherd, Ghassan Hajj, was wounded in the head by shrapnel from an Israeli drone-launched explosive while tending his flock in the Debsh area, west of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun district), our south Lebanon correspondent reported. He was taken to the headquarters of the Nepali battalion operating within UNIFIL, where he received first aid care.
Later, a drone dropped a stun bomb on the town of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil district), causing no injuries.
On Sunday evening, Israeli machine-gun fire targeted the outskirts of Kfar Shuba, in the Hasbaya district, from positions at Rweisat al-Alam and Samaka on the disputed heights overlooking the village.
Reporting by our regional correspondents Sarah Abdallah and Muntasser Abdallah.
