Israeli jets launch airstrikes in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, in the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement, local media said.

Two waves of airstrikes targeted the Ali al-Taher forest and a former archaeological site in Nabatieh province, the state news agency NNA reported.

No information was yet available about casualties.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of nearly 200 people and the injuries of around 500 others.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.