The Israeli Defense Forces launched targeted operations against Hezbollah positions across multiple locations in southern Lebanon on Thursday, January 15, 2026, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions despite an existing ceasefire arrangement. The military actions were preceded by formal evacuation warnings issued to residents of Sohmor village through official channels, including social media announcements from Colonel Avichay Adraee, the military’s Arabic-language spokesperson.
The strategic strikes targeted what Israeli authorities described as ‘terrorist military infrastructure’ allegedly being reconstructed by Hezbollah in violation of the November 2024 ceasefire terms. This development comes precisely one week after Lebanese military forces reported completing the initial phase of disarming Hezbollah operations south of the Litani River, a claim that Israeli officials have publicly dismissed as inadequate.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration reiterated its firm position that the ceasefire agreement explicitly requires complete disarmament of Hezbollah forces. The ongoing military operations demonstrate Israel’s continued commitment to unilateral action when deemed necessary for national security purposes, regardless of diplomatic arrangements.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the region has experienced intensified violence in recent days, with reports of ‘violent Israeli strikes’ affecting multiple southern towns including Jezzine, Mahmudiyeh, Al-Dimasqiyeh, and Al-Bureij, where over ten separate strikes were recorded just days prior to Thursday’s operations. The persistent hostilities suggest a deteriorating security situation along the Lebanon-Israel border despite theoretical peace agreements.