Lebanon Information Minister: Over 2,700 Israeli Ceasefire Violations Reported

Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos revealed on Thursday that his country has documented over 2,700 ceasefire violations committed by Israel since the ceasefire went into effect on November 26.

The ceasefire was meant to end the Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon, but Israeli ground troops have remained in post on Lebanese soil and they continue to carry out daily attacks against Lebanon, both of which violate the letter and spirit of the ceasefire.

The constant Israeli attacks during the ceasefire have resulted in at least 190 deaths and 485 injuries. Morcos also noted that the ceasefire terms, which include Lebanese Army forces moving into the southern part of the country, have been hindered because of the continued presence of Israeli forces there, and constant drone strikes.

The Israeli attacks show no sign of slowing down, and more airstrikes were reported overnight and into early Thursday. At night, Israel carried out multiple attacks against southern Lebanon, claiming it was targeting “Hezbollah infrastructure.”

Details are unclear on the pretext for labeling these sites Hezbollah infrastructure, and as usual Israel is less than forthcoming with evidence. The reports are that the airstrikes were near Ramyeh, a village adjacent to Ayta ash-Shaab, which is a popular target for Israeli forces.

The Lebanese Health Ministry also reported a drone strike against Aitaroun on Thursday, hitting a motorcycle and killing one person. The person killed in this strike has not been identified.

This is the second Israeli drone strike against Aitaroun in the last few days. On Tuesday, they also attacked a car in the town, killing the driver and wounding three others, including a 17-year-old who later died of the injuries. Israel claimed that man was a Hezbollah leader, but has not offered a story on the 17-year-old, nor indeed on the person they killed in today’s attack.

This makes reckoning the identity of the people Israel is killing in those thousands of ceasefire violations even more difficult. Israel often doesn’t comment at all on the identity of the victims, but when they do they tend to hype them up as high ranking Hezbollah figures, despite a conspicuous lack of evidence in most cases. Scores of civilians have been killed by Israel during the ceasefire, and the number is likely higher than that.