Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in jeopardy as military clashes continue

Israel and Hezbollah accused each other of violating a ceasefire deal, with Israel continuing its military operations in southern Lebanon and the armed group claiming to have attacked Israeli forces Monday.

The Israeli army claimed to have targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, military vehicles, and personnel over the past two days.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported that one Lebanese security personnel was killed in the Israeli attacks on Monday.

Hezbollah said it attacked Israeli military targets on Monday, characterizing them as a response to repeated Israeli ceasefire breaches and a warning.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that two mortars were fired at an Israeli base near the border, causing no casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire agreement and vowed a "forceful response" after the group launched the two mortars earlier in the day.

In a statement, Netanyahu said the mortars constituted "a serious violation" of the ceasefire, which has been in effect since Nov. 27, and that "Israel will respond to it forcefully."

"We are determined to continue enforcing the ceasefire and respond to any violation by Hezbollah -- whether minor or severe," Netanyahu said.

In a post on social media platform X, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also warned that the fire "will be met with a harsh response."

The ceasefire was intended to halt nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but Israel has carried out more than 50 violations of the truce, according to the Lebanese government, raising concerns about the durability of the agreement.

Israel admitted carrying out strikes and other attacks in Lebanon in recent days but maintained they targeted Hezbollah militants who were violating the agreement.

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in jeopardy as military clashes continue

Russia said on Wednesday that its forces had taken control of one more settlement in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, while Ukraine, on the same day, reported striking Russian targets, according to their latest updates on the conflict.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that over the past 24 hours, its forces had seized the village of Zapadne on the western bank of the Oskil River, which used to form the front line between the Ukrainian and Russian armies.

The ministry also said the Russian forces had successfully repelled Ukrainian counterattacks and launched offensives in the directions of Kharkiv, Avdiivka, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson.

The air defense forces shot down 114 Ukrainian drones, and the Russian forces had continued to strike Ukrainian armed forces in the Kursk region, it said.

On the same day, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that its forces had engaged in 67 battles on the frontline.

The Ukrainian air force, missile forces and artillery units had struck targets such as Russian personnel, concentration areas of weapons and military equipment, command posts, depots and artillery systems, with the Ukrainian army continuing its operations in Russia's Kursk region, the Ukrainian side said.

Russia seizes one more settlement in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, Ukraine strikes Russian targets