The Israeli military said it launched a wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure sites across southern Lebanon on Thursday, as hostilities continued to escalate despite the fragile ceasefire. 

Hezbollah, for its part, claimed responsibility for a drone attack earlier in the day on northern Israel, saying it targeted an Israeli artillery position along the border. In a statement, the group said it struck a self-propelled howitzer using an explosive-laden drone.

The Israeli army confirmed that a Hezbollah drone struck near the northern town of Shomera and said the incident was under investigation. Separately, the military said a Hezbollah-launched drone crashed in the Western Galilee without causing casualties, according to Israel Army Radio.

Israeli media also reported that Hezbollah had, for the first time, launched a drone toward the Galilee region using fiber-optic technology. Sirens warning of suspected drone infiltration from Lebanon sounded in several border communities, including Zarit, Adamit, and Shomera.

Hezbollah also said it had shot down an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over southern Lebanon. The Israeli army confirmed that one of its unmanned aerial vehicles was downed after being hit by a Hezbollah surface-to-air missile.

“There is no fear of information leakage,” the military said, adding that the incident remained under investigation.

The Israeli army also reported that five Hezbollah operatives identified near Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on Wednesday were killed in airstrikes. According to the military, the operatives were spotted by troops from the 146th Division in the western sector of southern Lebanon before being targeted by the Israeli Air Force.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it had launched several explosive-laden drones at Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon in two separate incidents the previous day. The Israeli army said the drones struck near its forces but caused no injuries, describing the attacks as “further violations of the ceasefire understandings” by the group.

On the ground, Israeli warplanes continued strikes from dawn on villages in the Bint Jbeil district, hitting Beit Yahoun and Jmeijmeh and damaging infrastructure and residential homes. The raids continued through the morning, with three additional strikes on Braachit and Haris, targeting residential buildings and roads. Further airstrikes hit Qalaouiyeh in the same district.

Israeli artillery also shelled multiple areas, including Kounine and Frun, as well as the surrounding regions of Ali al-Taher, Hanine, Zibqin, Yuhmor al-Shaqif, Zawtar al-Sharqiya, and Mifadoun.

Civil defense teams resumed search operations in the town of Juwaya after an earlier strike, recovering the bodies of five victims. In a separate aftermath of previous attacks, a water pumping station in Batouliyyeh was destroyed, cutting off supply operations for remaining residents. Israeli forces also demolished the Bayada tourist resort, while another demolition operation was carried out in Khiyam early in the day.

Heavy airstrikes were also reported in the Nabatiyeh district, with explosions heard as far as the coastal city of Sidon. The strikes hit the outskirts of Adshit al-Qusair toward Qsaybeh in the Marjayoun area, as well as Harouf, Jibsheet, and Toul.

Elsewhere, an Israeli drone struck a motorcycle in the town of Srifa in the Tyre district, injuring one person. Israeli artillery also shelled Byout al-Sayyad using both conventional and phosphorus munitions. A drone was reportedly shot down between Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa and Mayfadoun. Drones also flew overnight over the Tyre region, while additional unmanned aircraft were seen operating at low altitude across southern Lebanon.