An IDF spokesperson stated that the military is prepared to resume intensive combat in Lebanon if needed, following the entry into effect of a ceasefire with Hezbollah. Separately, the IDF reported that more than 150 strikes have been carried out in Lebanon since midnight.
The ceasefire with Hezbollah, which entered effect at 16:00, was immediately followed by the IDF warning of a potential return to 'intensive combat' in Lebanon if necessary. This remark came as the military reported having carried out more than 150 strikes since midnight — a level of activity that reflects the fragile state of the truce. The warning was issued Friday afternoon, shortly after an Israeli official confirmed the halt was in effect while stressing that operational freedom in southern Lebanon would be maintained, as The Zioneer reported at 16:15 Jerusalem.
Earlier on Friday, the IDF had already reported the more than 150 strikes, and The Zioneer published aerial footage of the operations at 16:22 Jerusalem. The military's public posture has evolved rapidly over the past week: from 70+ strikes reported on June 14, to the current 150+, and now the explicit readiness to escalate again. That escalation ladder has been underscored by the killing of over 10 Hezbollah field commanders since the ceasefire began, as The Zioneer reported on June 14.
Against this backdrop, Hezbollah has claimed a first attack on Israeli forces since the truce, using drones and anti-tank missiles, as The Zioneer reported on June 15. The group also claimed 25 military operations in a single day on June 7, though those claims remain unverified. The wider context includes a sustained campaign of Israeli strikes in Lebanon following Hezbollah's 'significant' ceasefire violations, as detailed in our report from June 14 at 00:06 Jerusalem.
What remains open is the precise trigger that would lead the IDF to escalate from warning to action. The military's statement does not specify a threshold of violations or a timeline for a return to intensive combat. The next hours will test whether the ceasefire can hold or further violations will bring a renewed escalation.
2 developments
- StrongAt least 10 Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon after declared ceasefire, IDF says it retains full freedom of action
- StrongIDF launches broad wave of strikes in Lebanon after Hezbollah fire
- DevelopingHezbollah Claims 25 Military Operations Against IDF in Lebanon
- DevelopingIDF preparing to halt operations in Lebanon, warns against cross-front entanglement
Source and signal
- Internal intake