The announcement of Netanyahu's visit on Sunday came from the Prime Minister's office – and only after the visit had ended. It is his second visit to the border area in the past month.
In front of a group of Israeli soldiers, Netanyahu repeated the demand that the Hezbollah movement not be allowed to obtain new weapons and that it be forced out beyond the Litani River.
It is also crucial to regain peace and security in northern Israel and for residents to be able to return home again.
These demands apply regardless of whether an agreement on a ceasefire comes into effect, said Netanyahu according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office.
Later, the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement stated in a statement that it had fired a number of rockets at an Israeli military base in the coastal city of Haifa in northern Israel.
Child rescued
Lebanon's health authority reports that three people were killed in airstrikes against targets in the city of Sidon in the southern part of the country on Sunday. The target of the attack was the densely populated area of Haret Saida.
In the nearby city of Ghaziyeh, south of Sidon, Israel attacked a building, according to Lebanon's state news agency NNA. A child was seen being rescued from the rubble, reports AFP's correspondent on the spot. In the city of Khiam, rescue teams were able to retrieve the remains of five people who had been buried in the rubble for a week. Around twenty people are reported to be trapped in the ruins, according to NNA.
On Sunday, Israel also carried out several attacks on the Baalbek region. At least three attacks are reported.
Evacuation order issued
A few hours before the attacks, Israel's military had urged residents in the area to immediately leave their homes.
"You are currently near facilities and properties connected to Hezbollah, which Israel's military will target in the near future", wrote the Israeli military's spokesman Avichay Adraee in Arabic in a post on X.
During Sunday morning, hundreds of projectiles were fired from Lebanon towards Israeli territory. Most were shot down by Israeli air defense, while some landed in open areas.
