Israel and Hezbollah signed a ceasefire on November 27, 2024, ending a year of cross-border war that killed nearly 4,000 Lebanese and displaced 1.4 million people. Fifteen months later, Israel had conducted over 10,500 documented violations, including 7,500 airspace violations and more than 3,000 ground and air strikes, killing over 450 people. On February 21, 2026, strikes hit the Bekaa Valley near Baalbek, killing at least 10 (eight Hezbollah operatives and three children), while a separate strike on Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp killed two Hamas operatives.
The Lebanese army announced on January 8, 2026, that it had completed Phase 1 disarmament south of the Litani River, but Hezbollah refuses further disarmament while Israeli strikes continue almost daily. On January 26, Lebanon filed a formal UN complaint documenting 2,036 Israeli sovereignty violations in the final three months of 2025, and UNIFIL reported new incidents in early February. In mid-February, Lebanese Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal requested 4-8 months for Phase 2 disarmament north of the Litani, as both sides accused each other of systematic violations amid escalating strikes.
29 events
Latest: February 16th, 2026 · 4 months ago
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February 2026
Israeli Strikes Kill One in Talousa and Hanine
LatestMilitary
IDF drone strike in Talousa (Marjayoun) kills one Lebanese citizen; separate strike near Hanine targets Hezbollah operative and injures one in vehicle attack. LAF Commander Haykal requests 4-8 months for Phase 2 disarmament from cabinet.
Israel Strikes Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Bekaa Valley
Military
Israeli airstrike on vehicle in Majdal Anjar kills four, including Syrian national; IDF confirms targeting PIJ operatives.
IDF Operations Kill One Hezbollah Operative
Military
Israeli operations Feb 2-8 kill one Hezbollah operative and wound eight; includes drone strike in Ansariyeh killing Abbas Ahmad Ghadboun.
LAF Prepares Phase 2 Disarmament Presentation
Policy
Army Commander Haykal to present Phase 2 plan for north of Litani to cabinet; US aid tied to progress.
UNIFIL Drones Drop Stun Grenade Near Patrol
Military
Peacekeepers near Kafer Kela fire defensively at aggressive Israeli drones; one drops stun grenade 50m away. No injuries.
IDF Drops Chemical Substance Near Blue Line
Military
Israeli aircraft drop non-toxic chemical near Blue Line, suspending UNIFIL patrols for 9+ hours; LAF tests samples for toxicity. UNIFIL condemns as 1701 violation.
January 2026
Israeli Strike Kills Al-Manar TV Presenter
Military
Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanese city of Tyre kills television presenter working for Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV station, raising concerns about targeting of media workers.
Lebanon Files UN Complaint Over Ceasefire Violations
Diplomatic
Lebanon formally files complaint with United Nations documenting 2,036 Israeli breaches of sovereignty in final three months of 2025, protesting repeated ceasefire violations and daily attacks.
Wave of Israeli Attacks Kills Two
Military
Series of Israeli strikes across Lebanon kills two people in latest ceasefire violations, part of near-daily attack pattern continuing since November 2024 truce.
Israeli Forces Fire on Lebanese Army with UNIFIL
Military
Israeli forces open fire on Lebanese army unit operating alongside UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, marking escalation in attacks on Lebanese state forces implementing ceasefire.
Israeli Strike Kills One in South Lebanon
Military
Israeli strike on vehicle in Mansuri kills one person. Previous day's strike in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah killed Hezbollah operative allegedly involved in rebuilding terror infrastructure.
Drone Grenade Dropped Near UNIFIL Peacekeepers
Military
Israeli drone drops grenade 30 meters from UNIFIL peacekeepers during patrol near Adeisse. Two illuminating flare mortar rounds hit UN position southwest of Yaroun. UNIFIL observes Israeli Merkava tanks moving deeper into Lebanese territory near Sarda.
IDF Strikes Radwan Force Sites Across Lebanon
Military
Israeli jets hit Hezbollah training sites and weapons depots in Bekaa Valley and southern villages, one of the largest escalations since the ceasefire began.
Israeli Mortar Rounds Hit UNIFIL Position
Military
Two illuminating flare mortar rounds hit helipad and main gate of UN position southwest of Yaroun. UNIFIL states such IDF activities put civilians at risk and violate UNSCR 1701.
Israeli Tank Fires Near UNIFIL, Tracks Peacekeepers
Military
Israeli tank fires three shells landing 150 meters from UNIFIL peacekeepers, then continuously tracks retreating peacekeepers with laser targeting. UNIFIL warns attacks on identifiable peacekeepers are becoming disturbingly common.
Lebanon Announces Phase 1 Complete
Policy
Lebanese army declares operational control south of Litani. Netanyahu says progress is "far from sufficient."
Israel Strikes Bekaa Valley Targeting Hezbollah and Hamas
Military
Israeli airstrikes hit targets in Bekaa Valley near Hermel, 87 miles from Israeli border, targeting alleged Hezbollah and Hamas infrastructure in escalation of strikes beyond border zone.
November 2025
One Year Since Ceasefire: 669 Strikes
Assessment
By the first anniversary, IDF has conducted 669 strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and killed 218 operatives.
September 2025
Lebanon Adopts Homeland Shield Plan
Policy
Cabinet adopts five-phase disarmament roadmap. Phase 1 covers area south of Litani; Phase 5 covers northern Lebanon.
August 2025
UNIFIL Mandate Renewed for Final Time
Diplomatic
UN Security Council votes unanimously to extend UNIFIL through December 2026. U.S. states this will be the final extension.
U.S. extends truce deadline to February 18. Israel announces it will delay withdrawal due to gaps in Lebanese enforcement.
Joseph Aoun Elected President
Political
Former army commander Joseph Aoun elected president of Lebanon, ending a two-year vacancy. Makes disarmament a central policy goal.
December 2024
First and Only Hezbollah Attack Since Truce
Military
Hezbollah fires two mortar shells—its only claimed attack since the ceasefire. France reports 52 Israeli violations by this date.
November 2024
Ceasefire Takes Effect
Diplomatic
U.S.-brokered ceasefire begins at 4:00 AM. Agreement calls for 60-day Israeli withdrawal and Lebanese army deployment south of Litani.
October 2024
Israel Invades Southern Lebanon
Military
IDF begins "limited, localised and targeted" ground operations in southern Lebanon, Israel's sixth invasion since 1978.
September 2024
Hassan Nasrallah Killed
Assassination
Israeli airstrike on residential buildings in Beirut's Dahieh suburb kills Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and multiple senior commanders.
Pager Explosions Kill Dozens
Attack
Thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members explode in coordinated attacks, killing 27 and injuring over 4,450.
October 2023
Hezbollah Opens Second Front
Military
Hezbollah launches rockets and artillery at Israeli positions in solidarity with Hamas, one day after the October 7 attacks. Cross-border exchanges begin.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
1 of 3
August 2006
UN Resolution 1701 and the 2006 Ceasefire
After a 34-day war triggered by Hezbollah's cross-border kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 1701. The resolution called for Hezbollah's disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and Lebanese army deployment to the south—the same terms as the 2024 agreement.
Then
Fighting stopped. Israel withdrew. UNIFIL expanded to 15,000 troops.
Now
Hezbollah never disarmed. By 2024, it had accumulated 120,000-200,000 munitions and built the Radwan Force for offensive operations. Resolution 1701 was never enforced.
Why this matters now
The 2024 ceasefire is explicitly based on implementing 1701's unfulfilled terms. Critics argue Israel learned that ceasefires without enforcement allow enemies to rearm; Hezbollah learned that agreeing to disarm carries no actual obligation to do so.
2 of 3
May 2000
The 2000 Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon
Israel unilaterally withdrew from southern Lebanon after an 18-year occupation that began with the 1982 invasion. Hezbollah claimed victory, having led the resistance that made occupation untenable. The withdrawal boosted Hezbollah's prestige across the Arab world.
Then
South Lebanon Army, Israel's proxy force, collapsed within hours. Its members fled to Israel.
Now
Hezbollah's success model—armed resistance forcing Israeli withdrawal—became its core narrative and justification for maintaining weapons.
Why this matters now
Hezbollah refuses to disarm partly because its weapons enabled the 2000 "victory." Israel's current insistence on destroying Hezbollah's arsenal reflects lessons from allowing the group to rebuild after that withdrawal.
3 of 3
April 1996
The 1996 'Grapes of Wrath' Operation
Israel launched a 16-day air and artillery campaign against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. On April 18, Israeli shelling hit a UN compound in Qana, killing 106 Lebanese civilians who had taken shelter there. International outrage forced Israel to accept a ceasefire.
Then
A monitoring committee was established to prevent civilian targeting. Cross-border attacks continued.
Now
The Qana massacre became a symbol of Israeli disregard for Lebanese civilian lives and bolstered Hezbollah recruitment.
Why this matters now
Israel's current civilian evacuation warnings before strikes aim to avoid another Qana-scale incident. Whether these warnings sufficiently protect civilians remains disputed, with over 127 civilian deaths since the 2024 ceasefire.
