BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on Monday, targeting areas deep in southern and eastern Lebanon.
The Israeli military said in a statement Monday night that it launched a series of airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah military sites, saying that weapons were identified in the attacked sites.
The military warned it "will continue to operate in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel and will prevent any attempt by Hezbollah."
The Saudi television channel Al-Hadath reported that Israeli aircraft struck seven different sites in Lebanon.
A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes and drones launched 11 airstrikes on eastern and southern Lebanon overnight, without providing further details.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that a series of airstrikes targeted three villages in eastern Lebanon, and warplanes and drones have been flying at low altitudes to mock air raids.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or the extent of the damage.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes also hit the vicinity of Shaqif Castle and the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
Earlier in the day, the NNA reported that an Israeli drone carried out a guided missile strike on a motorcycle in the Hay Al-Baydar area of Yohmor Al-Shaqif, a town in the Nabatieh district. The motorbike, carrying two, was directly hit.
The report added that a passing van was struck by shrapnel, igniting a fire, while a nearby supermarket caught fire due to the strike.
Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center confirmed that the Israeli airstrike on Yohmor killed two and injured five others.
The airstrikes were the latest in a series of Israeli airstrikes since a truce took effect last November, following 14 months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Despite the agreement's stipulation that Israeli forces withdraw from Lebanese territory, Israel has maintained its presence in five key border positions, beyond the agreed deadline of Feb. 18, 2025.
The Israeli military continues to conduct strikes in Lebanon, citing the need to eliminate "threats" posed by Hezbollah. ■
