Reports of AFU strikes in the Bekaa Valley, 27 December 2024 Photo: Screenshot/X

The Israeli Air Force on Friday, 27 December, attacked infrastructure used to smuggle weapons from Syria to Lebanon through the Bekaa Valley. The strike targeted facilities near the Yanta crossing on the Syrian-Lebanese border, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said.

The strikes were part of Israel’s efforts to “prevent the reopening of arms smuggling routes through Syria,” the IDF said. It is known that smuggling operations between Syria and Lebanon are coordinated by Hezbollah’s 4400th unit, which provides weapons from Iran to Lebanon.

These are the second strikes in the region since the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel was signed in November this year. Lebanese media reported explosions in the Bekaa Valley, and the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Akhbar newspaper added that the sounds of explosions were heard throughout the valley.

According to reports, on Thursday, the UN reported a violation of the ceasefire, in particular, accusing Israel of destroying civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon, in violation of UN Resolution 1701. At the same time, Israel rejected these accusations, saying that it was Hezbollah that violated the ceasefire by conducting military operations in prohibited areas.