Israel has rebuffed accusations by French diplomats saying the IDF violated the ceasefire with Hezbollah 52 times this weekend.
Israeli military actions against the terrorists were taken without first reporting to the “committee” supervising the ceasefire, France complained.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded to the accusations in a conversation with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, emphasizing that Israel’s military is enforcing the ceasefire in response to violations by Hezbollah terrorists.
“The presence of Hezbollah operatives south of the Litani [River] is a fundamental violation of the agreement and they must move north,” Sa’ar said in a statement posted on the X social media platform.
“Israel is committed to the successful implementation of the ceasefire understandings and will not return to the reality of October 6, 2023.”
Saar called on the Lebanese government to “clearly authorize the Lebanese army to carry out the actions required of it under the agreement.”
US Middle East envoy Amos Hochstein has reportedly joined the French diplomats in accusing Israel of violating the agreement, pointing to the visible and audible return of Israeli drones in the skies over Beirut.
According to a source who spoke with Ynet, the US has complained mainly about the Israeli drones flying surveillance over the Lebanese capital.
There are many examples of ceasefire violations by Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon since the agreement went into force last Wednesday (Nov. 27, 2024).
The Iranian proxy group has violated the ceasefire daily since it took hold – but unlike the events following the 2006 Second Lebanon War, this time the IDF has remained in position, immediately responding to each violation.
Since Monday morning, the IDF has attacked Hezbollah terrorists three times in southern Lebanon as part of Israel’s enforcement of the ceasefire.
Warning shots were also fired at civilians who approached areas near Israel’s northern border.
This weekend, Israeli forces spotted several armed terrorists adjacent to a church in southern Lebanon that was actively used by Hezbollah and eliminated the operatives.
“The eliminated terrorists were operatives in the Hezbollah Khiam ground defense, anti-tank missile, and artillery units and shot at the troops from the church,” the IDF said. Following the elimination of the terrorists, the troops scanned the church area and located a tunnel shaft containing weapons.
Hezbollah operatives and their weapons were supposed to be entirely removed from southern Lebanon and relocated north of the Litani River, according to the ceasefire agreement – which also grants Israel the right to respond to such violations.
“With the United States’ full understanding, we maintain full freedom of military action,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in announcing the terms of the ceasefire agreement a week ago.
“If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to rebuild terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack. If it launches a rocket, if it digs a tunnel, if it brings in a truck carrying rockets, we will attack,” the prime minister warned.
“Hezbollah will be in violation of the agreement not only if it fires on us. It will be in violation of the agreement if it obtains weapons to fire at us in the future. And we will respond forcefully to any violation,” Netanyahu said.
