Israel and Hezbollah trade fire as Netanyahu warns of 'harsh response' to 'serious violation' of ceasefire agreement

2 December 2024, 17:02 | Updated: 2 December 2024, 23:48

Israel confirmed it had struck targets in Lebanon on Monday after promising "harsh response" to Hezbollah's strike on a military base.

The Israeli Defence Force has confirmed it struck targets in Lebanon on Monday evening after promising a response to an earlier Hezbollah attack on a military post.

The Hezbollah projectiles fell in open areas and no injuries were reported, Israel said.

Hezbollah said it fired projectiles as a "defensive and warning response" after what it called "repeated violations" of the ceasefire deal by Israel.

Following the attack, Israel confirmed its response on X, writing: "The IAF struck Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure throughout Lebanon a short while ago. Additionally, the IAF struck the Hezbollah launcher in the area of Berghoz in southern Lebanon shortly after the launch of the two projectiles toward Mount Dov.

"Hezbollah’s launches tonight constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. The State of Israel demands that the relevant parties in Lebanon fulfill their responsibilities and prevent Hezbollah's hostile activity from within Lebanese territory."

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said: "We promised to act against any ceasefire violation by Hezbollah - and that is exactly what we will do.

Read more: Israeli military fires at 'suspects' in south Lebanon 'violating ceasefire agreement'

"Hezbollah's fire towards an IDF post on Mount Dov will be met with a harsh response."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded the incident a "serious violation" of the ceasefire agreement.

"Israel will respond to it with force," he said.

"We are determined to continue enforcing the ceasefire and to respond to any violation by Hezbollah, whether minor or severe."

Hezbollah has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire 50 times since the deal was agreed.

Pentagon spokesman, Major General Patrick Ryder, said: "Broadly speaking, it is our assessment that despite some of these incidents that we are seeing, the ceasefire is holding,"

It comes just days after Israel confirmed it had fired at "suspects" in Lebanon, less than 48 hours after the ceasefire had been signed.

The Israel Defence Forces said in a statement: "Over the past hour, several suspects were identified arriving with vehicles to a number of areas in southern Lebanon, breaching the conditions of the ceasefire.

The IDF opened fire toward them."The IDF remains in southern Lebanon and will actively enforce violations of the ceasefire agreement."

The ceasefire, which is intended to be permanent, marked an important step forward in diplomatic efforts to restore peace to the Middle East.

But despite the agreement, the Israel Defence Forces warned residents of southern Lebanon, close to the border with Israel, not to return home until they had been told it was safe.

More than 100,000 people in Lebanon have been displaced by the war, along with around 60,000 Israelis.

The militant Palestinian group has said it is ready to agree a “serious” deal and prisoner exchange with Israel in the wake of the ceasefire in Lebanon.

"We have informed mediators in Egypt, Qatar and Turkey that Hamas is ready for a ceasefire agreement and a serious deal to exchange prisoners," a senior official told AFP.

This is not the first time Hamas has called for a ceasefire in Gaza, with the group working with mediators for several months to agree terms for a truce with Israel.