An Israeli airstrike on the village of Msayleh in southern Lebanon on october 11, 2025, has killed one person and wounded seven others, threatening a fragile ceasefire and highlighting the deep-seated complexities of the long-running conflict. The attack, which destroyed a facility selling heavy machinery and struck a passing vegetable delivery vehicle, temporarily severed a major highway connecting Beirut to the country's southern regions.
Lebanon's health ministry confirmed the casualties, identifying the deceased as a Syrian citizen and the injured as both Syrian and Lebanese nationals. The Israeli military stated that the operation targeted equipment intended for Hezbollah to rebuild its infrastructure. According to the Israeli military, such strikes are necessary to prevent the powerful armed group from restoring its military capabilities following a devastating 14-month war that concluded with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in november 2024.
The strike drew sharp condemnation from Lebanese officials. President Joseph Aoun described it as an "unprovoked attack on civilian installations," underscoring its timing shortly after a separate ceasefire was established in Gaza, which some hoped would de-escalate regional tensions.
This latest incident is part of a pattern of near-daily Israeli strikes since the november 2024 ceasefire. The conflict, which began on october 8, 2023, after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel following a Hamas-led incursion, has exacted a heavy toll. The ensuing war resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 people in Lebanon and 127 in Israel, with damages in Lebanon estimated at over $11 billion.
Even after the formal cessation of hostilities, tensions have remained high. The UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, recently reported that 103 Lebanese civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire and urged a renewed push for a permanent resolution.
The attack complicates an already volatile internal situation in Lebanon. Just days earlier, on october 6, Lebanon's army chief, gen. Rudolph Haikal, presented a confidential plan to the government aimed at disarming Hezbollah and asserting state control over all weaponry. This represents the first formal military strategy to address the contentious issue of Hezbollah's arms.
However, Hezbollah has rejected the disarmament plan, arguing it cannot relinquish its weapons while Israel maintains positions on the border and continues to conduct airstrikes. The Lebanese government has reportedly adjusted its timeline, now aiming to secure the border area south of the Litani River by november before moving to subsequent phases of the plan.
Lebanon’s military, severely weakened by a prolonged economic crisis, is relying on international support for this effort, including $230 million in recent aid from the United States for training and equipment. As international focus potentially shifts from Gaza to Lebanon, efforts to disarm Hezbollah and achieve a lasting peace remain stalled amid ongoing violence and deep-rooted regional animosities.