Israel escalates south Lebanon attacks after raids damage homes

Israel launches raids on Lebanon’s Iqlim al-Tuffa as Lebanese media reports say homes in Jbaa are damaged and tensions rise along the border.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab Staff & Agencies

09 December, 2025

Last Update

09 December, 2025 19:19 PM

Lebanese Army vehicles are seen passing through the heavily damaged streets of Sour (Tyre), a southern region of Lebanon that has been affected by Israeli attacks

Israeli raids escalate in Lebanon’s south as Beirut rejects claims its army is failing to enforce security measures near the Litani River. [Getty]

Israeli attacks have reportedly damaged civilian homes on Tuesday, while Israel claimed that the strikes aimed to curb Hezbollah rearmament amid rising tensions.

Lebanese state media reported that Israel launched a series of strikes on southern Lebanon with the Israeli army alleged it hit a Hezbollah training centre and other targets.

Despite a November 2024 ceasefire that was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed group, Israel has kept up strikes on Lebanon and maintains troops in five areas of the country's south.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported "a series of (Israeli) raids targeting the Iqlim al-Tuffah region" near the towns of Azza, Rumin and Jbaa, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of the border with Israel.

"A number of houses were damaged" in JBaa, the NNA added.

The Israeli military said it had struck "infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in several areas in southern Lebanon".

According to the military "a training and qualification compound used by Hezbollah's Radwan Force" was hit, as were "military structures and a launch site belonging to Hezbollah".

Under heavy US pressure and fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon's government has committed to disarming Hezbollah, and the army is set to dismantle the group's military infrastructure near the border by year's end before tackling the rest of the country.

In a meeting with French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejected "accusations claiming that the Lebanese army is not fully carrying out its role south of the Litani River", about 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Israel.

Lebanon "supports any audit conducted by the ceasefire monitoring committee regarding the procedures implemented south of the Litani", Aoun added.

The five-member committee, which includes Lebanon, Israel, France, the US and the UN peacekeeping force, is set to meet again with Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives on December 19.