Israel threatens to 'respond with force' after Hezbollah fires towards IDF in 'ceasefire violation'

Israel's prime minister says he will "respond with force" after Hezbollah fired towards an Israeli military post in disputed territory in Lebanon.

Two projectiles fell in open areas and no injuries were reported.

Israel said they had been launched toward Mount Dov, a disputed Israeli-held territory known as Shebaa Farms in Lebanon, where the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel meet.

Hezbollah said it fired projectiles as a "defensive and warning response" after what it called "repeated violations" of the ceasefire deal by Israel. The attack was Hezbollah's first since the ceasefire was enacted last week.

It said complaints to mediators tasked with monitoring the ceasefire "were futile in stopping these violations".

At least four people have been killed and others left wounded by Israeli strikes on Lebanon in recent days, including two people today.

Before the Hezbollah fire, Israel carried out at least four airstrikes and an artillery barrage on different parts of southern Lebanon, including a drone strike that killed a person on a motorcycle, according to Lebanese state media.

Another strike killed a corporal in the Lebanese security services, state media also reported. The Israeli military said it carried out operations in the south against Hezbollah militants, "thwarting threats to Israeli civilians," without elaborating.

An Israeli strike on Saturday in the southern Marjayoun area killed two people, according to state media.

Lebanon has also accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days, including allegedly demolishing homes in border villages, persistently flying Israeli reconnaissance drones, and launching airstrikes that have caused casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hezbollah's projectile firing was "a serious violation" of the ceasefire.

"Israel will respond to it with force," he said.

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

Meanwhile, Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz promised "a harsh response".

"What was, will no longer be," he said.

It comes as the US defence department said the US and French-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel was mostly holding.

Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said: "Broadly speaking, it is our assessment that despite some of these incidents that we are seeing, the ceasefire is holding."

The ceasefire came into effect on Wednesday. It called for a 60-day halt in fighting, aiming to end more than a year of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel.

Both the US and France are tasked with monitoring compliance with the accord. There was no immediate comment from either country on the latest development.

Israel says that it reserves the right under the truce to respond to perceived ceasefire violations.

(c) Sky News 2024: Israel threatens to 'respond with force' after Hezbollah fires towards IDF in 'ceasefire violation'