An Israeli strike in East Lebanon killed four people on Sunday near the Lebanese Syrian border, according to Lebanon’s state media and the Health Ministry.
The attack comes as Israeli airstrikes continue inside Lebanese territory despite a ceasefire reached in November 2024 following more than a year of war with Hezbollah.
The Israeli army said it had targeted members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement in the town of Majdal Anjar.
Drone Strike Reported in Majdal Anjar
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an “Israeli enemy drone” struck a vehicle at the Lebanese Syrian border, adding that the bodies of four victims remained inside the targeted car.
The agency also said four powerful explosions were heard in nearby villages, without providing further details about the identities of those killed.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed the death toll in an official statement.
In a separate statement, the Israeli military said it targeted “terrorist elements belonging to the Islamic Jihad movement in the Majdal Anjar area,” without releasing additional operational details.
Targeting Islamic Jihad After the November 2024 Ceasefire
The incident appears to be the first time Israel has publicly announced targeting Islamic Jihad members in Lebanon since the November 2024 ceasefire took effect.
During the war between Israel and Hezbollah, which followed the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, Islamic Jihad fighters were killed in Lebanon. The group, along with Hamas, claimed responsibility for some attacks on Israeli positions and attempted cross border infiltrations from Lebanese territory.
Casualties Since the Ceasefire
According to an AFP tally based on data from Lebanon’s Health Ministry:
More than 370 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began.
Airstrikes have continued in areas across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa region.
Lebanese authorities accuse Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement, while Israel says it is acting against what it describes as security threats.
Weapons Control and State Authority
In January, the Lebanese army announced completion of the first phase of a plan to restrict weapons to state control in a zone extending about 30 kilometers from the border with Israel.
In August, the Lebanese government formally endorsed limiting arms possession to legitimate state forces under the terms of the November 2024 truce.
As part of this process:
Palestinian factions handed over weapons last year in several refugee camps to Lebanese authorities.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have not announced any formal plan to disarm in Lebanon.
Conclusion:
The latest Israeli strike in eastern Lebanon underscores ongoing tensions along the Lebanese Israeli frontier despite the ceasefire, with the issue of armed groups operating outside full state control remaining a central security challenge.
