The latest exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah is testing the limits of last week’s already fragile ceasefire deal.
Hours after Hezbollah fired two mortar shells at an Israeli military outpost on Monday, Israel carried out its largest series of air strikes since the truce came into effect.
Nine people were killed in two villages in southern Lebanon.
“Yesterday was the most dangerous moment for the cessation of hostilities,” said one seasoned observer in Lebanon.
The Israeli military said it targeted Hezbollah fighters, rocket launchers and infrastructure. However, in a statement it added, that: “The State of Israel remains obligated to the fulfilment of the conditions of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.”
Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce brokered by the US and France in recent days.
Under its terms, Israel is prohibited from conducting offensive military operations in Lebanon while Lebanon must prevent armed groups, including Hezbollah, from launching attacks on Israel.
The Israeli army did not report any casualties from the mortar attack on its position in the sensitive Shebaa Farms area – along the border of Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
However, soon afterwards, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a “strong” response.
There were also fiery comments from the Defence Minister, Israel Katz: “If the ceasefire collapses, there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon,” he said on Tuesday.
“We will enforce the agreement with maximum response and zero tolerance; If until now we have separated Lebanon and Hezbollah - it will not be anymore".
Ms Yaacoubian said the question of whether the war will resume “is in the hands of Israel, not Hezbollah.”
“I think Hezbollah needs to gather its forces together, to see where the region is heading,” she added.
Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker, Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally who represented his country in truce talks, said at least 54 ceasefire breaches by Israel had been recorded. He said these included air strikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanese airspace.
He urged the monitoring commission to “urgently” ensure that Israel adhere to the deal.
Israel says its strikes are a response to Hezbollah violations allowed under the terms of the agreement. Its foreign minister, Gideon Saar, has accused Hezbollah of taking the prohibited step of moving weapons south of the Litani River.
Much now depends on the international committee which is meant to verify claims of ceasefire breaches and facilitate communication between the parties.
