IDF says Hezbollah breached truce by launching rockets at troops, drone at Israel

Terror group takes responsibility, claims attacks come in response to Israeli violations of ceasefire; military says it struck launcher

The Hezbollah terror group violated a ceasefire in Lebanon on Tuesday by firing several rockets at Israeli troops stationed in the south of the country, as well as launching a drone at Israel, the military said.

Hezbollah took responsibility for the attacks, which it claimed were in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, Hezbollah fired several rockets toward troops stationed in the Rab al-Thalathine area, within an Israeli-held security zone.

The IDF said that it struck the launcher used in the attack within a few minutes.

Separately, the IDF said that sirens that sounded in the communities of Kfar Yuval and Ma’ayan Baruch on the Lebanon border were not false alarms as it had initially reported.

Following an examination, the IDF said the alerts were triggered in the border communities due to the interception of a drone that was launched from Lebanon. The drone was shot down before crossing the border, according to the military.

The IDF said the attacks were “blatant violations of the ceasefire agreement.”

No injuries were reported.

In a statement, Hezbollah said it targeted an Israeli artillery position in the northern border community of Kfar Giladi with a rocket barrage and attack drones.

Hezbollah claimed to have documented over 200 Israeli violations of the ceasefire since it took effect on Friday. The terror group said the attacks on the IDF were carried out in response to those violations and its “right to resist occupation and repel it.”

A 10-day ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump, took effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday, largely stopping six weeks of war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah that spiraled out of the conflict between the United States and Iran.

Still, the IDF has continued to respond to what it says are violations of the ceasefire.

The truce remains fragile, with Israeli troops holding on to territory deep in the south of Lebanon, aiming to create a buffer zone to shield northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks, while the terror group says it maintains the “right to resist” the Israeli military presence.

In several incidents throughout Tuesday and Monday, the Israeli Air Force struck and killed Hezbollah operatives who “violated the ceasefire understandings” and posed a threat to troops in southern Lebanon, the military said.

In one incident on Tuesday, troops of the Golani Brigade spotted several operatives near the village of Qoussair who “crossed the forward defense line, and approached the forces in a manner that posed an immediate threat,” the military said.

In two incidents on Monday in the same area, the IDF said it identified “armed terrorists” who also crossed the ceasefire line.

Also on Monday, in two separate incidents, soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade spotted several Hezbollah operatives in the Bint Jbeil area, which is located in the IDF-held security zone. Separately, on Monday, Golani soldiers spotted several Hezbollah operatives near a Litani River crossing in the town of Qaaqaait al-Jisr.

In all of the incidents, the Israeli Air Force “struck the terrorists to remove the threat,” the military said.

During the ceasefire, the military has said that it would continue to clear the area currently under its control of Hezbollah infrastructure, operatives, and any other threats.

Stretching east to west, Israel’s new south Lebanon security zone runs 5-10 km (3-5 miles) deep from the border into Lebanese territory, covering an area where the IDF has been razing entire villages, as instructed by Defense Minister Israel Katz, to prevent Hezbollah from using the area to stage attacks.

On Tuesday, the IDF reiterated its warning to Lebanese civilians against returning to villages in southern Lebanon amid the fragile truce.

“We reiterate that during the ceasefire agreement, the IDF continues to remain deployed in its positions in southern Lebanon in the face of the ongoing terror activity of Hezbollah,” army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee said in a post on X.

“We again warn that, for your safety and the safety of your family members, until further notice, you are required not to move south of the line of the displayed villages and their surroundings,” he said, attaching a map showing the IDF’s new security zone.

“It is also prohibited to approach the Litani River area, Wadi al-Salhani, and Saluki,” he added.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on Tuesday’s attacks.

The terror group, in a statement on Monday, said explosive devices previously planted by its operatives had detonated as a convoy of eight armored military vehicles was moving between the southern Lebanon towns of Taybeh and Deir Siryan, in the Israeli security zone.

The military, in response to a query, confirmed that one armored vehicle was “likely hit by an explosive device,” and that no injuries were caused. The IDF said the incident was under further investigation.

Two reservist soldiers were killed over the weekend as a result of Hezbollah-placed explosives, and over a dozen more were wounded, according to the military.

Lebanon was dragged into the regional war on March 2, when Hezbollah opened fire on Israel in support of Iran.

Lebanese authorities say the subsequent Israeli offensive has killed more than 2,300 people, including 177 children, and forced more than 1.2 million to flee. The figure does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Hezbollah has not disclosed its casualty figures, but the IDF says at least 1,800 terror operatives have been killed since March 2.

Hezbollah fired some 5,500 rockets at IDF troops operating in the south of the country, as well as around 2,500 at Israel amid the fighting, according to the military.

The terror group’s attacks killed two civilians in Israel, while 15 Israeli soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon — including two amid the ceasefire. Additionally, an Israeli civilian was mistakenly killed in the north by Israeli artillery shelling.

Agencies contributed to this report.