Israel and Hezbollah accused each other of violating a day-old ceasefire agreement intended to bring an end to more than one year of fighting.
The Israeli military said its air force struck a facility Thursday used by the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hezbollah to store midrange rockets in southern Lebanon.
Israel also said it opened fire Thursday toward what it characterized as “suspects” with vehicles arriving at several areas in the southern zone, calling it a violation of the truce.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, meanwhile, accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire.
“The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to the border villages,” Fadlallah told reporters. “There are violations today by Israel, even in this form.”
The Lebanese army also accused Israel of violating the deal. “The Israeli enemy violated the deal several times,” the army said, citing airstrikes and attacks on Lebanese territory with “various weapons.”
The ceasefire took effect early Wednesday. Accusations from both sides underscore the deal’s fragility.
Under the terms of the deal, unauthorized military facilities south of the Litani River must be dismantled, but the agreement does not mention military facilities to the river’s north.
The ceasefire stipulates that Israel can take up to 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon but that neither side can launch offensive operations.
The truce, which was brokered by the United States and France, is supposed to last 60 days in the hope of reaching a permanent cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
