Day before second round of peace talks, Hezbollah strikes Israel after ‘ceasefire violations’

It fired “at a position in northern Israel that had been striking southern Lebanon,” according to a statement released by Hezbollah on Tuesday.

The Israeli military, in response, struck the launcher from which the ⁠rockets were fired. Sirens in northern Israel were sounded after the interception of the drone from Lebanon, Reuters reported quoting the Israeli military.

Second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon

The second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is set to take place on Thursday (April 23).

Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is also a Hezbollah ally, has told Lebanese newspaper al-Joumhouria that if Israel
“maintains its occupation, whether of areas, positions, or by drawing yellow lines, it will smell the scent of resistance every day,” Reuters quoted.

Berri also said that there was no need for direct talks with Israel, the newspaper reported, while noting his administration had sought Hezbollah’s peaceful disarmament for a year.

One of Lebanon’s goals to be presented during in-person talks with Israel entails Israeli withdrawal from the region. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam Tuesday also said his government did not seek confrontation with Hezbollah but would not be intimidated by it.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said the final goal of the campaign against Hezbollah was to see the group disarmed, by both military and diplomatic means, Reuters quoted.

Israeli attacks continue

Since the ceasefire began, the Israeli military has continued to carry out demolitions ‌in southern villages ⁠of Lebanon, which it claims is an action against Hezbollah infrastructure embedded in civilian areas, the news agency reported.

New Israeli detonations in at least eight villages, and artillery shelling in several areas, were reported on Tuesday, Lebanese state media reported.