UPDATE – Israeli airstrikes target southern Lebanon ahead of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah's funeral

UPDATES WITH ISRAELI CONFIRMATION

By Ikram Kouachi

Israeli warplanes on Sunday conducted airstrikes targeting six southern Lebanese towns, hours before a mass funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and despite an ongoing ceasefire.

The Israeli attacks targeted the towns of Zrariyeh, Zibqin, Al-Qlaiaah, Jannata, Deir Qanoun Al Naher, and Maaroub, sources said.

No casualties were reported immediately.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN also reported that Israeli drones flew over the Lebanese capital Beirut. Lebanese sources, however, denied the claim, saying that the Lebanese military, not Israel, operated the drones.

The Israeli army confirmed the strikes, claiming that they targeted Hezbollah rocket sites in southern Lebanon.

A military statement claimed that several rocket platforms were destroyed in the attacks, which coincided with the arrival of participants for the funeral of Nasrallah and senior Hezbollah leader Hashem Safieddine in Beirut’s Camille Chamoun Sports City.

The Israeli army has continued to violate the Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement with over 1,000 breaches reported by Lebanese authorities, including the death of at least 79 people and injury of 276 others.

The ceasefire agreement ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

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.

The Israeli army withdrew from southern Lebanese towns last week but maintained a military presence at five border outposts.