Iran condemns Israeli strikes in Lebanon, cites ceasefire violations

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
17 Oct 2025 15:57
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Iran slams Israeli strikes in Lebanon as violations of Lebanese sovereignty and UN Resolution 1701, blaming France and the US for enabling ceasefire breaches.

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People inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike on a cement plant in the southern Lebanese village of Ansar, Lebanon, Friday, October 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammad Zaatari)

Iran has strongly condemned recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon, calling them a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a dangerous breach of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement.

In a statement on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denounced the attacks, which left one person dead and at least seven wounded across southern and eastern Lebanon.

Baghaei said "Israel" has violated the ceasefire nearly 5,000 times, causing widespread destruction to civilian infrastructure and hindering Lebanon’s reconstruction and economic recovery.

The Iranian diplomat also criticized France and the United States, the guarantors of the ceasefire, for what he described as “continued inaction and appeasement” toward Israeli aggression.

“Paris and Washington are directly responsible for the repeated violations of the agreement,” Baghaei stated, adding that their failure to act emboldens "Israel" to disregard its obligations under UN Resolution 1701.

The resolution, which brought an end to the 2006 war, calls on "Israel" to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Civilian casualties mount in southern Lebanon

According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), Israeli warplanes and drones carried out multiple airstrikes across southern Lebanon and eastern regions last night:

Two strikes hit the town of Bnaafoul in the Sidon district
A third struck Khirbet Dweir near Sarafand and Baysariyeh
Additional strikes hit areas near Roumine, Houmine, Marjayoun, Bint Jbeil, and Baalbek
In Marjayoun, a drone struck the town of Blida as residents were harvesting olives

The Lebanese Health Ministry reported one civilian killed in Shmustar (Baalbek), one wounded in Bnaafoul, and six injured in the Nabatieh district.

Hezbollah infrastructure targeted, says Israeli military

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli escalation, saying the attacks were part of a “systematic policy to destabilize Lebanon and obstruct economic recovery.”

“These violations of international law and UN Resolution 1701 require an immediate international response,” Aoun said.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterated Lebanon’s commitment to extending the mandate of UNIFIL, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, but stressed that "Israel" must fully withdraw from all occupied Lebanese territory.

As the US and "Israel" continue pressuring for the disarmament of Hezbollah, many in Lebanon argue that such demands ignore the ceasefire violations and ongoing occupation by Israeli forces.

Critics say that calls to disarm Hezbollah, which remains the country’s most capable military force, are premature while Israeli troops continue cross-border aggression with impunity.