At least 12 people, including a Hezbollah commander, were killed in Israeli air and drone strikes across eastern and southern Lebanon, according to reports on February 21, 2026. The attacks targeted areas in the Bekaa Valley, where initial reports said six people were killed and over 25 injured, later revised to 10 dead and at least 30 wounded. The strikes hit a building in the city of Rayak in Bekaa Governorate, where rescue operations continued to search for survivors under the rubble.

The Israeli military stated that it targeted a Hezbollah command center in the Baalbek area, while a Hezbollah source confirmed to AFP that one of its military leaders was among the dead. Separately, an Israeli drone strike hit the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon in southern Lebanon, killing at least two people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel said the attack was in response to repeated ceasefire violations and aimed at a Hamas command center, while Hamas condemned the strike, saying civilians were among the casualties.

At least four people were killed early Monday when Israel carried out an airstrike on a vehicle near the Lebanon-Syria border, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, which occurred in the Majdal Anjar area of Lebanon. Lebanon’s state news agency reported that one of the victims was a Syrian national named Khaled Mohammad al-Ahmad.

In a post on social media platform X, Israel stated that the strike targeted members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Lebanon, though it did not provide evidence to support the claim. The PIJ has not issued an immediate response. The group is an armed faction based in the occupied Palestinian territories and allied with Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024, Israeli forces have continued near-daily strikes inside Lebanon, reflecting ongoing regional tensions since the 2023 Gaza conflict.

At least nine people were killed and several others injured when a residential building collapsed in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, on Sunday night, according to officials cited by Al Jazeera. Lebanon’s Civil Defense Director General Imad Khreish said nine bodies had been recovered and six survivors were taken to hospital. The building consisted of two blocks with six apartments each, and residents estimated that around 22 people were inside when it collapsed.

Rescue operations are being conducted by Civil Defense teams with support from the Lebanese Red Cross and other emergency and relief organizations. Local residents have also joined efforts to clear debris. Tripoli’s Mayor Abdel Hamid Karimeh declared the city a disaster zone, citing unsafe buildings and years of neglect that have left thousands at risk, beyond the municipality’s capacity to manage.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that security forces evacuated nearby buildings. President Joseph Aoun ordered all emergency services to assist rescue operations and ensure safe shelter for nearby residents, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pledged housing allowances for those displaced. The report noted that many of Lebanon’s aging and war-era buildings pose serious safety risks.

Lebanese Army Chief Rodolphe Haykal met this week with top US military official General Dan Kane, following the cancellation of Haykal’s previously planned Washington visit. A spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that Kane met Haykal on Tuesday and Qatar’s defense chief the day before. The meetings reaffirmed the importance of the United States’ enduring defense relationships in the Middle East.

Haykal’s Washington trip, scheduled for November 2025, was canceled just hours before departure after US political and military officials withdrew from all planned meetings. Reports at the time indicated that influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham played a role in the decision. Graham had accused Haykal of failing to take effective steps to disarm Hezbollah and said their meeting was abruptly shortened after he questioned whether Lebanon’s military considered Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

Last month, the Lebanese army announced completion of the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, implemented between the Israeli border and the Litani River region.

Israel carried out multiple airstrikes on Thursday in southern and eastern Lebanon, violating the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since November 2024. According to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA, one of the attacks targeted the Al-Wazaniyah area near Khallat Khazem in Jabal al-Reihan, while another strike hit mountainous areas near the city of Hermel in the Bekaa Valley. Video footage from local media showed smoke rising from the targeted zones, and Israeli warplanes were reportedly seen flying at low altitude over several Lebanese regions after the strikes.

The Israeli military stated that the operations targeted Hezbollah positions across Lebanon. However, no immediate information was available regarding casualties or damage. The report cited Anadolu Agency, which sourced its information from Lebanese media outlets.

The background of the conflict traces back to October 2023, when Israel launched a military campaign against Lebanon that escalated into a full-scale conflict by September 2024. Various sources have reported that more than 4,000 people have been killed and around 17,000 injured since the fighting began.

Israel carried out airstrikes on four crossing points along the Syria-Lebanon border, claiming the sites were used by Hezbollah for arms smuggling. The attacks followed earlier Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon that killed at least two people and injured around 20, according to Al Jazeera. The operations took place on Wednesday, breaking an existing ceasefire agreement.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attacks in a statement, accusing Israel of systematically targeting populated villages and endangering civilians. He said the actions demonstrated Israel’s refusal to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that at least 19 people were injured in the southern city of Kanarit, while state media said Israeli forces struck several towns including Al-Kharaib, Al-Ansar, Kanarit, Kfour, and Jarjouh.

The previous day, Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed two separate Israeli strikes on vehicles in the Zahrani and Bazourieh areas, each killing one person. The renewed hostilities have heightened concerns about escalating conflict along the border region.

The Lebanese Army announced that it has successfully completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah. In a statement released on Thursday, the army said the operation covered the area from the Israeli border to the Litani River and achieved its set objectives. The army added that future phases will expand the disarmament effort to other parts of Lebanon.

According to the statement, the army now controls the entire area south of the Litani River, except for several positions still held by Israel near the border. Despite being weakened by the November 2024 war with Israel, the Iran-backed Hezbollah has refused to surrender its weapons in other parts of the country. Under a ceasefire agreement in effect for over a year, Israel was expected to withdraw from Lebanese territory but continues to hold five strategic border positions.

The Lebanese Army said it will continue operations in the south to neutralize unexploded ordnance and locate tunnels dug by Hezbollah, while taking permanent measures to prevent armed groups from rebuilding their military capabilities.

Three people were killed on Monday when an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle in southern Lebanon’s Sidon district, according to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA and local media reports cited by Anadolu. The attack occurred on the Aktonit–Quneitra road and is being viewed as a potential violation of a recently signed peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Israel has not yet commented on the incident.

Tensions have been escalating in southern Lebanon for weeks, with Israeli forces reportedly conducting near-daily airstrikes targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure. The two countries had reached a peace agreement in November 2024 following more than a year of cross-border attacks linked to the Gaza war, which left over 4,000 dead and 17,000 injured.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israeli troops were expected to withdraw from southern Lebanon in January, but they have only partially done so and continue to maintain a military presence at five border posts.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported on Friday that Israeli positions fired shotgun and machine gun rounds that landed dangerously close to UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. Although no casualties were reported, the UN mission condemned the incidents, describing them as part of a worrying pattern of repeated occurrences near the Blue Line border area.

According to UNIFIL, peacekeepers were on patrol when the first incident occurred, with 15 small-arms rounds landing just 50 meters away. Shortly afterward, another patrol in the same area came under fire from around 100 machine gun rounds. The peacekeepers identified the source of the gunfire as Israeli military positions located south of the Blue Line. UNIFIL stated that it had previously informed Israeli forces of its patrol activities and later communicated through established channels to request a halt to the firing.

In its statement, UNIFIL urged Israeli forces to cease attacks on peacekeepers operating near the Blue Line, emphasizing that such actions threaten peace and stability in the region.

Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared on Sunday that the group will not surrender under any circumstances. Speaking at a public event, he called for national unity to resist Israel’s air, land, and sea offensives, emphasizing the need to end Israeli aggression. Qassem demanded full implementation of the ceasefire withdrawal agreement and the release of prisoners, warning that if southern Lebanon falls under Israeli control, the rest of the country would be at risk.

Qassem stated that despite the 2024 ceasefire agreement, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued. He described the current situation as a historic crossroads, saying Lebanon must either allow full U.S. and Israeli control or rise to reclaim its sovereignty and territory. He also argued that calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament are part of an Israel-U.S. project serving Israeli interests rather than Lebanon’s.

The Hezbollah leader reiterated that national unity is essential to defend Lebanon’s sovereignty and prevent further territorial losses, urging all citizens to stand together against Israel.

A United Nations peacekeeper was lightly injured during a patrol in southern Lebanon when gunfire and an explosion occurred near the team, according to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The incident took place near the village of Bastara, where heavy machine-gun fire from an Israeli military position south of the Blue Line struck close to a UNIFIL patrol inspecting a roadblock. Shortly afterward, a grenade explosion was reported nearby. UNIFIL said the peacekeeper sustained a mild ear concussion but no infrastructure damage was reported.

UNIFIL stated that, in accordance with standard procedures, the Israeli army had been informed in advance about the patrol activities in the sensitive area along the Blue Line. The mission’s statement was released on Friday, as reported by Anadolu Agency.

The report noted that a ceasefire has been in effect in Lebanon since November 2024, following over a year of conflict linked to the war in Gaza, which left more than 4,000 people dead and about 17,000 injured.

Hezbollah has called on the Lebanese government to reject Israel’s demand for the group’s disarmament, warning that compliance could undermine national sovereignty. In a statement reported by TRT World, Hezbollah emphasized that ending Israeli occupation in Lebanese territory remains its top priority, despite an existing ceasefire agreement.

The group accused Israel of maintaining partial military presence in five southern border outposts, violating the terms of the January withdrawal plan. Hezbollah asserted its right to resist continued occupation, describing it as a legitimate defense of Lebanon’s sovereignty. The statement comes as Israel reportedly conditions halting its attacks on Hezbollah’s disarmament by the end of the year.

Analysts say the exchange underscores fragile post-ceasefire dynamics and the risk of renewed hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border. Diplomatic observers warn that failure to fully implement withdrawal commitments could escalate tensions in the region, complicating international mediation efforts.

An Israeli drone attack in southern Lebanon’s Sidon district killed three people on Monday, according to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA. The strike targeted a vehicle on the Aktnit–Quneitra road and was described by Lebanese officials as a new violation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Israel has not issued any immediate comment on the incident.

Tensions have been escalating along the border in recent weeks, with reports of near-daily Israeli air raids inside Lebanon. Israel claims its operations are aimed at Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure. The two countries reached a ceasefire in November 2024 after more than a year of cross-border clashes linked to the Gaza conflict, which left over 4,000 dead and 17,000 injured.

Despite the truce, Israeli forces have reportedly maintained positions at five border posts that were due to be vacated in January, raising concerns among Lebanese authorities and international observers about the durability of the ceasefire and the risk of renewed hostilities.

Israeli forces carried out fresh artillery and aerial attacks in southern Lebanon, violating a recently agreed ceasefire, according to reports from local and international media. The strikes targeted areas around Al-Wazzani and Al-Majidiyah, while Israeli naval units allegedly fired at Lebanese fishing boats near Ras al-Naqoura. Witnesses reported explosions and gunfire that disrupted civilian life in several border villages.

Al Jazeera and other outlets cited Lebanese sources calling the attacks a clear breach of the truce that had temporarily calmed tensions along the Israel–Lebanon frontier. The Lebanese military and UN peacekeeping forces are reportedly monitoring the situation closely. No immediate casualties were confirmed, but the incidents have raised fears of renewed escalation between Israel and Hezbollah-aligned groups operating in the region.

Analysts warn that continued violations could undermine fragile diplomatic efforts to stabilize the border. Regional actors, including the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), are expected to issue statements urging restraint in the coming days.

Israel carried out a new series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Monday, targeting several areas including Mount Safi, Jbaa, and the Zefta Valley, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. The Israeli military said the attacks struck Hezbollah-linked sites, including a training compound used by the group’s elite Radwan Force and a rocket-launching site. No casualties were immediately reported, but the strikes caused damage to multiple homes and reignited anger over repeated Israeli violations of the 2024 US-brokered ceasefire.

The escalation comes just days after Israel and Lebanon agreed to send civilian envoys to a military committee overseeing the truce, a move encouraged by Washington. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed his country’s commitment to negotiations, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called for a stronger ceasefire monitoring mechanism, even suggesting openness to US and French participation. UN officials have warned that Israel’s ongoing strikes, which have killed at least 127 civilians since the ceasefire began, may constitute war crimes.

The renewed hostilities follow Israel’s recent assassination of Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabtabai in Beirut. Analysts warn that continued air raids risk collapsing the fragile truce and could draw both nations into another prolonged conflict.