Source: Kataeb.org
Friday 17 October 2025 09:52:53
Israel carried out a wave of powerful airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Thursday, targeting what it described as Hezbollah-linked infrastructure and a local environmental NGO.
The Israeli army said in a statement that its forces hit “infrastructure associated with Hezbollah” and facilities tied to Green Without Borders, an environmental organization it claims is used by the group as cover for military activity. Israeli army Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X that the NGO “serves as a front for Hezbollah,” noting that it is sanctioned by the United States.
Adraee said the strikes destroyed a quarry allegedly used by Hezbollah “to produce cement for rebuilding terrorist facilities,” asserting that the group “operates under a civilian guise.” He added that targets linked to Green Without Borders were hit because “the organization has long been used to conceal Hezbollah activity along the border.”
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that six people were wounded in the south following the latest Israeli attacks. Explosions from eight separate strikes in the area between Sinai and Ansar in the Nabatieh district were heard as far as Saida, according to local correspondents. The strikes also caused damage to homes and a nearby school.
President Joseph Aoun condemned the attacks as “repeated Israeli aggression” and said they were part of “a systematic policy aimed at destroying productive infrastructure, hindering economic recovery, and undermining national stability under false security pretexts.”
“This aggressive behavior constitutes a grave violation of Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement,” Aoun said, calling for an international response to halt what he described as “Israel’s continued violations and unlawful use of force.”
Earlier in the day, Israeli fighter jets and drones carried out a series of attacks across southern Lebanon. Two airstrikes hit the village of Bnaafoul, southeast of Saida, damaging residential areas.
The strikes extended to the area between Bnaafoul and Houmin Tahta, about 10 kilometers from Bnaafoul public school, injuring one person. Another Israeli drone later targeted Kawthariyet al-Siyyad in the Saida district, while additional strikes hit the Ali Taher area facing Nabatieh Fawqa and the Dabbash hill near Kfar Roummane.
Israeli reconnaissance drones also flew over Adloun and Zahrani, and machine-gun fire was reported from Israeli positions on Tallet Hamames hill toward Wadi al-Assafir. In the Bint Jbeil district, incendiary bombs were dropped on Deir Antar, while in Marjayoun, an Israeli drone targeted a farmer east of Blida, though no injuries were reported.
In the Bekaa Valley, Israeli jets bombed two homes in Shmustar, west of Baalbeck, that had been hit previously. One person was killed and another wounded, according to local officials. The fatality was identified as a Lebanese customs officer who had been out exercising near the site and was initially reported missing. He is survived by his wife and three children.
The Israeli army said the Bekaa strike targeted “underground Hezbollah infrastructure where weapons were stored,” alleging that the group continues to rebuild “terrorist facilities throughout Lebanon while cynically using the population as human shields.”
Meanwhile, Electricité du Liban (EDL), the state electricity provider, said it had restored power to areas affected by last Saturday’s Israeli bombardment of Msayleh in the Saida district.
“The main 220-kilovolt transmission line linking Zahrani to Sour has been repaired,” EDL said in a statement, though the 66 kV Zahrani–Msayleh line remains out of service due to a fallen pylon.
EDL said the outage has not disrupted the overall power supply thanks to “three backup lines replacing it.”
The escalation came just two days after senior military officials from the United States, France, the United Nations, and Lebanon met in Naqoura to review efforts to uphold the ceasefire and advance the disarmament of Hezbollah.
According to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the Lebanese Army has “successfully removed nearly 10,000 rockets, almost 400 missiles, and more than 205,000 unexploded ordnance fragments” over the past year.
“Our Lebanese partners continue to lead the way in ensuring the disarmament of Hezbollah is successful,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM. “We remain committed to supporting the LAF’s efforts to strengthen regional security.”
Last week, CENTCOM announced that Lt. Gen. Joseph Clearfield had been appointed as the senior U.S. military representative in Lebanon and chairman of the Mechanism created under the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. The Mechanism is tasked with monitoring and verifying commitments made by both Israel and Lebanon, including the disarmament of Hezbollah.
“We are working closely with the Lebanese Army, UNIFIL, and our French and international partners to ensure the success of the cessation framework,” Clearfield said. “We share a common interest in preserving peace and stability in Lebanon.”