Israeli strikes on the heights of Jezzine, southern Lebanon, on Dec. 12, 2025. (Credit: Photo obtained by Muntasser Abdallah/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Israeli warplanes carried out a series of strikes across four areas in southern Lebanon and one in West Bekaa Valley on Friday morning, the latest in a series of attacks despite ongoing cease-fire negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. No casualties had been reported by midday, according to our correspondents in the affected regions. Meanwhile, the Israeli army claimed it targeted Hezbollah facilities.
Around 10 a.m., after a relatively quiet night, nine airstrikes hit multiple locations: three on the Rihan mountains and Jarmak (Jezzine district), three on Tebna near Baissariyeh (Nabatieh), another on Wadi Houmin (Nabatieh), and two in the Qalaat Mais area between Ansar (Nabatieh) and Zrarieh (Saida), our regional correspondent reported.
In a statement on X, the Israeli army said it had bombed “an instruction and training complex used by the al-Radwan force,” Hezbollah’s elite unit, along with “other military infrastructure” belonging to the group, without providing further information. The army noted that earlier in the week, it struck a Hezbollah training camp, where fighters were reportedly practicing shooting “to plan and carry out terrorist operations” against Israel. Those claims coincided with strikes in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region on Monday evening.
Israeli air strikes also targeted the Hama area in Zlaya, West Bekaa, according to local correspondent.
The attacks come despite a cease-fire that took effect on Nov. 27, 2024, and the start of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel two weeks ago under the November 2024 cease-fire monitoring commission, known as the “Mechanism.” The Israeli army claims its near-daily strikes on the South and the Bekaa, and less regularly, Beirut's southern suburbs, aim to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its forces.
In this context, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa said on Wednesday, “Just because negotiations have started does not mean Israel will stop its operations.”
Egypt calls to spare Lebanon from further Israeli escalation
Egypt’s ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, said Friday that Cairo is working to prevent further escalation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Speaking at the Baabda Presidential Palace, Moussa said, “We have no choice but to work to spare Lebanon any escalation of Israeli aggression.”
In November, Israel threatened to “intervene with force” in Lebanon if Hezbollah was not disarmed by the end of December 2025.
Following Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty’s visit to Beirut in late November, President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi discussed the Lebanese issue with regional and international stakeholders, including the United States. Moussa described preliminary responses as “encouraging” while cautioning that “the road is long.”
Egypt is the only major Arab country communicating with both Israel and all Lebanese actors, including Hezbollah, while maintaining open channels with Iran—unlike Saudi Arabia, which keeps a cautious distance from the Shiite party. Cairo also aims to benefit from the central role it played in the Gaza agreement at the historic Sharm el-Sheikh summit to regain a key role in a region undergoing major realignment and consolidate its place on the diplomatic chessboard.
Egypt remains the only major Arab country maintaining open channels with both Israel and all Lebanese actors, including Hezbollah, while also engaging with Iran. Unlike Saudi Arabia, which maintains a cautious distance from Hezbollah, Cairo seeks to leverage its diplomatic role from the Gaza cease-fire agreement reached at the historic Sharm al-Sheikh summit to consolidate influence in a region undergoing strategic realignment.
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