Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israel Defense Forces to strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, the Israeli prime minister's office said.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered the Israel Defense Forces to carry out powerful strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon,“ the statement said.
On April 23, 2026, a three-week extension of the initial 10-day ceasefire, brokered by the United States, was announced.
Despite the truce, the fighting has not stopped completely. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced today that they had intercepted a rocket fired by Hezbollah towards northern Israel, which Israel described as a "grave violation". In response, Israel struck the group's positions in southern Lebanon.
Efforts are underway to turn the ceasefire into a permanent security agreement, with terms being discussed for Hezbollah's disarmament and the establishment of a lasting peace.
Israeli ground forces remain deployed on Lebanese territory in a strip of about 5 to 10 kilometers from the border. The ceasefire agreement does not currently require their immediate withdrawal.
Before the ceasefire, the conflict escalated sharply in March and early April 2026, with Israel conducting Operation Eternal Darkness (Operation Eternal Darkness) with massive airstrikes.
The 2026 conflict resulted in the deaths of nearly 2,500 people in Lebanon and the displacement of over 1 million people (about 20% of the country's population).
UN reports and satellite images show significant destruction in southern Lebanon, including the destruction of entire villages and critical infrastructure such as bridges over the Litani River.
The conflict remains closely linked to the broader regional confrontation with Iran, with the stability of the Lebanese border largely dependent on the progress of parallel negotiations between Washington and Tehran.