Lebanese President Condemns Israeli Attack That Killed 12 People
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has condemned a deadly Israeli attack on his country that killed 12 people. The strike represents the latest Israeli military action despite an existing ceasefire with the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah.
As reported by AFP on Saturday (21/2/2026), Aoun said in a statement that the attack constituted “a blatant act of aggression aimed at undermining diplomatic efforts” by the United States and other nations to build stability.
In response to the attack, a Hezbollah member of parliament called on the Lebanese government to suspend meetings of the multinational committee tasked with monitoring the ceasefire.
Washington is one of five members of the committee overseeing the ceasefire implemented in November 2024. The committee is scheduled to meet again next week.
Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite the ceasefire, typically claiming to target Hezbollah, but occasionally also the group’s ally, Hamas.
Friday’s Israeli strikes (20/2) on southern and eastern Lebanon killed 12 people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, with 10 of the victims in the eastern part of the country.
The Israeli military said it had struck several militants from Hezbollah’s missile unit at three separate command centres in the Baalbek area.
Hezbollah said one of the group’s commanders was killed in the attack. Its parliamentarian, Rami Abu Hamdan, called on the Lebanese government to “suspend committee meetings until the enemy ceases its attacks”.
Hezbollah, whilst weakened following its war with Israel, remains a powerful political force in Lebanon with representation in parliament.
The Lebanese government committed last year to disarming the group. The Lebanese military stated last month that it had completed the first phase of the plan covering the area near the Israeli border.
Israel, which accuses Hezbollah of rearming, has described the Lebanese military’s progress in disarming the militant group as inadequate.