Beirut, Lebanon – Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon on Friday and Saturday have resulted in at least 12 fatalities and dozens of injuries, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry and reports from multiple news agencies. The strikes, targeting areas in both eastern and southern Lebanon, represent a significant escalation in hostilities and are raising concerns about the stability of the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
The heaviest strikes occurred in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon, where at least 10 people were killed and 24 wounded, including three children, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. A senior Hezbollah official, Hussein Yaghi, was among those killed in the Bekaa attacks, confirmed by Hezbollah media. Yaghi was the son of former Hezbollah MP Mohamed Yaghi and his funeral is scheduled for Saturday. Separately, two people were killed in an Israeli strike on Ain al-Hilweh, a densely populated Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon.
Escalation in the Bekaa Valley
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strikes in the Baalbek area targeted Hezbollah command centers, claiming they were used to advance terror attacks against Israel. “STRUCK: Hezbollah command centers used to advance terror attacks against IDF troops and Israel, in the Baalbek area in Lebanon,” the IDF posted on X Friday evening. The military added that the command centers were storing weapons and funds in violation of existing understandings between Israel and Lebanon.
The strikes in the Bekaa Valley are among the deadliest reported in eastern Lebanon in recent weeks, according to Sky News. The region has seen increased Israeli activity as the IDF attempts to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and capabilities.
Targeting of Palestinian Refugee Camp
The strike on Ain al-Hilweh, a crowded Palestinian refugee camp, targeted what the IDF claimed was a Hamas command center. Hamas condemned the strike, acknowledging that two of its members were killed but rejecting Israel’s claim of targeting a command center. Hamas stated the building targeted belonged to a joint security force tasked with maintaining security within the camp. The IDF maintains it “is operating against the entrenchment” of Hamas in Lebanon and will “continue to act decisively against Hamas terrorists wherever they operate.”
This incident highlights the broadening scope of Israeli operations in Lebanon, extending beyond direct targeting of Hezbollah to include alleged Hamas infrastructure. The Deutsche Welle reports that Hamas is classified as a terror organization by the US, Germany, and several other countries.
Ceasefire Concerns and Regional Context
These recent attacks are occurring despite a US-brokered truce established in November 2024, following over a year of conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border. The truce aimed to enable the safe return of approximately 60,000 residents of northern Israel who were displaced by Hezbollah’s attacks. However, the IDF has consistently stated that Hezbollah continues to rebuild its capabilities in violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun has stated that the Israeli strikes “frustrate” efforts to achieve stability in the region, according to The Times of Israel. The ongoing conflict began after Hezbollah initiated attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023, following the Hamas invasion of southern Israel.
Israeli operations between February 9 and February 15, 2026, largely consisted of policing activity along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, maintaining a reduced intensity compared to previous weeks, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
The recent escalation raises fears of a wider conflict, potentially jeopardizing the fragile ceasefire and further destabilizing the region. The IDF has indicated it will continue to operate to remove any perceived threat against the State of Israel. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected in the coming days.
What comes next will likely depend on Hezbollah’s response to the recent strikes and the continued efforts of international mediators to de-escalate tensions. The potential for miscalculation and further escalation remains high.
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