Israeli Airstrike in Eastern Lebanon Kills Four, Targets Islamic Jihad Operatives

An Israeli drone strike on Sunday near the Syrian border in eastern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of four individuals, according to Lebanese authorities. The state-run National News Agency reported that the drone targeted a vehicle in the Majdal Anjar area, with four bodies found inside. Lebanon's Health Ministry confirmed the fatalities.

The Israeli military stated that the operation targeted operatives from the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad. This marks the first Israeli strike in Lebanon against Islamic Jihad since the November 2024 truce, which aimed to end over a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued regular strikes in Lebanon, typically targeting Hezbollah but occasionally focusing on its Palestinian allies, including Hamas.

During the 2023 hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, fighters from Islamic Jihad were among those killed in Lebanon. Both Islamic Jihad and Hamas claimed responsibility for attacks and infiltration attempts from Lebanon during that period.

Since the ceasefire, more than 370 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally of Health Ministry reports. In line with the 2024 truce, the Lebanese army announced in January that it had completed the first phase of a government plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area near the Israeli border. Additionally, some Palestinian factions in Lebanon handed over weapons in several refugee camps last year as part of the government's push to disarm non-state groups. However, Hamas and its Islamic Jihad ally have not announced plans to disarm in Lebanon.