Israel continues airstrikes in Lebanon despite direct negotiations

(CLO) On December 4, the Israeli army continued to launch airstrikes in Lebanon, despite the first direct negotiations between the two countries in three decades taking place.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on the evening of December 4 that they had attacked Hezbollah targets in four villages in southern Lebanon, including weapons depots built in residential areas.

IDF operations in Lebanon. Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0

The IDF said it had issued evacuation warnings before the attack and accused Hezbollah of violating a ceasefire agreement due to take effect in November 2024 and using civilians as human shields.

The latest military move comes less than 24 hours after representatives of the two countries held their first direct public talks in 30 years, an effort the Lebanese side hopes will help ease tensions and prevent the risk of war.

Shortly before the airstrikes, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in a statement on the afternoon of December 4 that the December 3 discussions were positive and aimed at avoiding a new conflict in the future. He also announced that the next round of talks would be held on December 19, nearly three weeks after the first meeting.

Previously, under the impact of the war in Gaza, the Israeli army and Hezbollah forces went through 14 months of fierce confrontation, from October 2023 to November 2024. This conflict killed thousands of people on both sides and forced tens of thousands of residents living near the Israel-Lebanon border to evacuate their homes.

Source: https://congluan.vn/israel-tiep-tuc-khong-kich-lebanon-bat-chap-dang-dam-phan-truc-tiep-10321452.html