Honest, paywall-free news is rare. Please support our boldly independent journalism with a donation of any size.

On Monday and Tuesday, Israel expanded its strikes and ground operations in Lebanon as the U.S.’s negotiations with Iran came to a standstill.

Overnight on Monday, Israel bombed areas in Southern Lebanon and in Bekaa Valley in Eastern Lebanon, and expanded its ground operation outside of the so-called “yellow line,” an Israeli-drawn line separating Israel’s current occupation of areas of the South from the rest of Lebanon. Israel also issued an evacuation warning on Tuesday for the city of Nabatieh, north of the Litani river.

Israel’s strikes on the Bekaa region Monday night killed 11 people, including two children, in the village of Mashghara. When asked about the strike in Mashghara, the Israeli military claimed that they had targeted “Hezbollah infrastructure sites.”

Israel’s expansion on Tuesday followed a statement by Netanyahu late on Monday that he had ordered the Israeli military to “increase the blows” and “increase the intensity” in its attacks on Lebanon.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu said that Israel had “large forces on the ground” in Southern Lebanon and that it was taking control of “strategic areas.”

Despite Ceasefire, Israel Continues to Expand Occupation of Southern Lebanon

This is despite the fact that Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire on May 15.

“I think it’s........

© Truthout