Hezbollah Escalates Attacks as Ceasefire Negotiations Near Completion

Hezbollah's rocket and drone assaults on northern Israel have left two elderly civilians and a soldier seriously injured, prompting Israeli warplanes to strike the terror group's strongholds in Lebanon. This escalation comes as international efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah seem to be approaching a conclusion.

Amid rising concerns that fighting could intensify as a ceasefire deal nears, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Home Front Command has imposed new restrictions in several northern regions of Israel. The IDF announced that communities in the Golan Heights and along the northern frontier are now subject to “limited activity” rules, restricting most schools from opening and prohibiting large gatherings in the area.

On Monday night, a barrage of rockets hit the coastal city of Nahariya and surrounding areas, injuring a 70-year-old woman seriously and lightly injuring a man in his 80s. Shrapnel damage was reported, with a building set on fire in the attack. The IDF also intercepted a drone in the Golan Heights, allegedly launched from Iraq by Iranian-backed terror groups. Later, a Hezbollah drone attack near Mount Hermon seriously wounded an IDF soldier.

In addition to the civilian toll in northern Israel, Hezbollah's activities have led to significant losses in Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes have targeted Hezbollah's assets, including weapons depots and key personnel, including senior Hezbollah commander Ahmed Subhi Hazima, who was eliminated in a strike early Tuesday morning.

In the meantime, both Israeli and Lebanese forces have continued to clash, with the IDF striking Hezbollah strongholds in the Beqaa Valley, Baalbek, and southern Beirut. The IDF also targeted routes used by Hezbollah to smuggle Iranian weapons into Lebanon via Syria, while Israel issued evacuation warnings for certain areas.

Amid these intense hostilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene the security cabinet to discuss a proposed 60-day ceasefire. While this deal would halt the ongoing violence, Israeli officials have emphasized that it is not an end to the war on Hezbollah but a temporary cessation of hostilities.

Despite this, some northern Israeli leaders have expressed dissatisfaction with the ceasefire proposal, arguing that it does not guarantee long-term security for the region. Local council heads, particularly from Metula and Moshav Margaliot, voiced strong opposition to the ceasefire, warning that it would leave northern Israel vulnerable to further Hezbollah threats.

International figures, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, have also pushed for the ceasefire, citing the necessity of a peace agreement to prevent further casualties. However, Israel’s military and local officials remain wary of returning to a fragile peace without concrete security assurances.