The Israeli Army carried out at least eight airstrikes in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, focusing on the Baalbek area. Multiple buildings were hit, with casualty figures not initially confirmed.

Lebanon's Health Ministry at one point specified that a "16-year-old Syrian boy was killed," according to the National News Agency. There were reports of dozens more wounded and injured.

The deceased was identified as Hussein Mohsen al-Khalaf, who died in a strike on Kfar Dan near Baalbek, L'Orient also reported.

The IDF claimed the targets belonged to Hezbollah's "elite Radwan Force" and were used for weapons storage and training. But as has been the pattern with these types of sporadic brief attacks, it provided no evidence for the claim.

Israel further said the sites violated the "ceasefire understandings" and posed a threat to Israel, after widespread allegations the fresh attacks constitute a severe breach the ceasefire in force between the two countries.

However, Middle East media reports have cited more than 1,000 strikes inside Lebanon by Israeli forces, killing hundreds, since the ceasefire took effect.

Israel has intensified attacks in recent weeks, citing the prospect of a US-Iran war. Israeli officials have warned Lebanon that civilian sites will be targeted if Hezbollah joins such a conflict. Hezbollah has long been a main proxy arm of Tehran's, but also acts in its own interests as a guarantor of Lebanon's Shia population.

So these deadly new assaults do appear to represent a kind of pre-Iran war anti-Hezbollah action. Israel has already over the past two years decimated Hezbollah's top leadership, and could now be looking for an excuse to finish the job.

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