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Heavy Israeli strikes hit south Lebanon ahead of final vote in municipal elections

The Cradle | May 23, 2025

The Israeli army unleashed a violent wave of airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon on the evening of 22 May, striking what it claimed were Hezbollah weapons sites.

The attacks were preceded by an evacuation order for a building in the town of Toul, in the Nabatieh district of southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, citing the presence of Hezbollah facilities.

Following a “warning strike,” Israel bombed and destroyed the building – which had already been struck during the war last year, according to Al-Manar.

Israel then proceeded to carry out airstrikes in several southern regions, including the Iqlim al-Tuffah region, Mahmoudia, Jabal al-Rafi, and Jabal Safi. The vicinity of a school in the town of Tulin were among the areas bombarded.

Additionally, Israeli ground troops opened fire at the southern town of Aitaroun as the strikes were happening.

An airstrike also hit the town of Boudai in the eastern Baalbek region of Lebanon. The Israeli army said in a statement that it “attacked a military site containing rocket launchers and weapons in the Bekaa Valley with fighter jets,” as well as “terrorist infrastructure, rocket launchers, and missiles” in the south, accusing the resistance of violating the ceasefire and attempting to reconstitute its forces.

According to Lebanese media, these were some of the heaviest strikes on the country since the war ended last year.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks and said they came at a “dangerous” time. They occurred just two days before the final round of municipal elections in south Lebanon – the first to be held since the ceasefire agreement was reached in November 2024.

“Prime Minister Salam stresses that these violations will not thwart the state’s commitment to holding the elections and protecting Lebanon and the Lebanese,” Salam’s office said in a statement.

Despite the devastating war that ravaged southern and eastern Lebanon and the southern suburb of Beirut last year, Hezbollah has retained significant popular support.

During the first rounds of voting two weeks ago, Hezbollah-backed lists won in the Shia-inhabited towns of Ain al-Ghuwaybah, Hajoula, Ras Asta, Bashtlida, Fidar, Mishan, Almat al-Sawaneh, Lassa, Afqa, al-Maghiri, and al-Husun.

The final round of voting will be held on 24 May in Nabatieh and other southern governorates, which have endured brutal Israeli strikes during the war and even after the ceasefire.

“This year’s municipal and elective elections come as a challenge of resilience, steadfastness, and commitment to the land – rebuilding it with its people, orchards, houses, and all elements of life,” Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said on Thursday.

Qassem also stressed that “the continued Israeli occupation of any inch of our land and homeland will not be accepted.”

Tel Aviv’s violations of the ceasefire agreement reached in November last year have continued unabated.

Over 200 people have been killed in the more than 3,000 Israeli violations of the US-sponsored deal since the end of 2024.

Israeli troops also occupy five locations along the border in the south, where they established themselves following the ceasefire deal in violation of the agreement. This is aside from the Lebanese land that Israel has already been illegally occupying for decades, including the Kfar Shuba hills and Shebaa Farms.

May 23, 2025 - Posted by aletho | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | Hezbollah, Israel, Lebanon, Zionism