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Israeli Strikes Kill Dozens in Bekaa Valley, Prompting President’s Condemnation and Cease‑Fire Dispute

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Deadly Night‑Time Raids Hit Eastern Lebanon On 21 Feb 2026 Israeli air strikes hit the Bekaa Valley and the Ain El‑Héloué refugee camp, killing at least ten civilians according to Lebanese officials and a total of twelve people (ten in the valley, two in the camp) as reported by the health ministry [1][2]. President Joseph Aoun denounced the attacks as “flagrant aggression” and demanded an immediate halt, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam labeled the actions a breach of the November 2024 cease‑fire [1][2]. The Israeli army said it was targeting Hezbollah and Hamas command centres, a claim echoed by both outlets [1][2].

Hezbollah Suffers Commander Losses Amid Civilian Casualties Hezbollah confirmed that six of its fighters, including a senior field commander, were killed in the strikes, while a Hezbollah source cited by Le Monde said eight of its members died [1][2]. The group’s deputy, Rami Abou Hamdane, warned that the monitoring committee overseeing the cease‑fire should be suspended until Israel ceases its attacks [1]. Israeli statements maintained the operations aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s command infrastructure in the Bekaa [1][2].

Cease‑Fire Terms Remain Contested by Both Sides The November 2024 truce, which ended the 13‑month war, is interpreted by Hezbollah as applying only between the Litani River and the Blue Line, excluding the Bekaa Valley [2]. Israel, however, continues near‑daily raids, arguing they target remaining Hezbollah and Hamas sites, and has signaled a shift toward central and northern Lebanon as southern disarmament progresses [3]. The United‑France‑US‑UN monitoring committee is slated to meet next week, but Hezbollah demands its suspension pending an end to Israeli strikes [1].

Lebanese Disarmament Plan Advances Amid Hezbollah Resistance Lebanon’s cabinet approved a renewable four‑month window to implement phase two of its Hezbollah disarmament plan, following the LAF’s completion of phase one in the south [1][3]. Hezbollah employs political and cognitive‑warfare tactics to delay northern disarmament, while Israeli intelligence estimates the group has already restored roughly one‑fifth of its pre‑war arsenal [3]. International partners are urged to fund reconstruction and LAF salaries to outpace Hezbollah’s resurgence [3].

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Timeline

Nov 2024 – A U.S.‑brokered cease‑fire ends the 13‑month Israel‑Hezbollah war, establishing a monitoring committee (U.S., France, Lebanon, Israel, UN) and a framework that calls for disarming non‑state weapons south of the Litani River [4][6].

Sep 2025 – Lebanon’s government approves a Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) disarmament plan, launching the first phase to clear weapons, tunnels and rocket sites south of the Litani with a target to finish by the end of 2025 [4][12].

Dec 1 2025 – Iran unveils new naval vessels Kurdistan and Sahand while the U.S. warns Iraq to curb militia support for Hezbollah, linking Iranian activity to a possible Israeli operation [13][14].

Dec 8 2025 – Residents of Metula, Israel, still live amid damaged homes and limited aid after 64,000 were displaced in fall 2023; ongoing Israeli strikes have killed 127 Lebanese civilians since the cease‑fire, heightening border tension [7][6].

Dec 18 2025 – Israeli jets strike Hezbollah training compounds from Mount Rihan to Hermel a day before the second U.S.‑brokered cease‑fire monitoring meeting, aiming to pressure Hezbollah ahead of a disarmament deadline [6].

Dec 22 2025 – An Israeli drone hits a vehicle 10 km from Sidon, killing three; Israel says it targeted Hezbollah operatives, while Lebanon’s disarmament plan aims to finish the south by year‑end and the monitoring committee meets to push talks forward [11].

Dec 25 2025 – Israeli strikes kill two in Hawsh al‑Sayyid Ali (Hermel) and one on the Jadra‑Siblin road, and a Lebanese army soldier; Israel keeps troops on five southern hilltops despite the cease‑fire, while Lebanon pushes to complete the first disarmament phase by year‑end [10].

Nov 28 2025 – Israel sets a Dec 7 deadline for the LAF to show measurable progress in disarming Hezbollah, tying it to upcoming visits by Pope Leo XIV and U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus; LAF commander Brig. Gen. Nicholas Tabet claims 80 % of the southern disarmament plan is done [14].

Jan 5 2026 – Israel launches strikes on four Lebanese villages (Kfar Hatta, Annan, Al‑Manara, Ain al‑Tineh) after issuing evacuation warnings; the Al‑Manara house is destroyed and civilians flee, while the cease‑fire monitoring committee is scheduled to meet later that week [9].

Jan 6 2026 – Israel conducts additional raids, including a strike on Ghazieh near Sidon that destroys a building; President Joseph Aoun condemns the attacks as “flagrant aggression” that undermine de‑escalation efforts [8][15].

Jan 8 2026 – The Lebanese army announces it has taken over security in the Hezbollah‑dominated south, completing the first phase of the disarmament deployment without resistance, and sets a presidential‑prime‑minister meeting to discuss next steps [2][4].

Jan 16 2026 – Analysts note the Axis of Resistance reorients toward greater autonomy as Iran’s domestic crisis deepens; Hezbollah remains central but embattled, while the Houthis emerge as the strongest non‑state member with long‑range capabilities [3].

Feb 18 2026 – Hezbollah stalls full disarmament using political and cognitive‑warfare tactics; Israeli intelligence estimates it has rebuilt at least one‑fifth of pre‑war stockpiles and secured $1 billion from Iran, prompting U.S. and EU calls to condition aid on anti‑corruption reforms [12].

Feb 21 2026 – Israeli air strikes in the Bekaa Valley kill ten, including six Hezbollah fighters and a senior commander; Prime Minister Nawaf Salam calls the attacks a “one‑sided war of attrition” and urges international pressure on Israel [1]; President Aoun again condemns the raids as “flagrant aggression,” and the Lebanese cabinet sets a renewable four‑month window for phase two of Hezbollah disarmament [15].

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