Hezbollah Rearmament Raises Risk After Blida Raid

Israeli forces carried out an overnight raid in the southern border village of Blida that killed municipal worker Ibrahim Salameh; Israel said its troops were targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and the incident is under review. The raid occurred despite a November 2024 ceasefire and follows near-daily Israeli strikes and raids; Israel also maintains forces at five strategic southern outposts it says are necessary to prevent Hezbollah’s rebuild. Intelligence and reporting indicate Iran-backed Hezbollah is rearming across Lebanon—stockpiling rockets, drones and artillery—which has alarmed Israeli and Western officials. President Joseph Aoun ordered the Lebanese army to confront future Israeli incursions and pressed the UN and ceasefire sponsors to enforce Lebanese sovereignty. Washington and other mediators are urging direct Lebanon–Israel talks and warning that Israel’s patience may run out, while Israeli diplomats are raising Hezbollah’s rearmament with partners such as Germany. Together these developments, alongside documented civilian deaths since the ceasefire, raise the risk of a broader Lebanon–Israel confrontation and potential domestic unrest in Lebanon.