Beirut: Israel launched airstrikes across southern and northeastern Lebanon on Thursday ahead of a looming deadline to disarm the militant Hezbollah group along the volatile border between the two nations.

The attacks preceded Friday's meeting of the committee overseeing a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war a year ago. This gathering marks the second session of the mechanism, now including civilian representatives from Israel and Lebanon alongside the United States, France, and U.N. peacekeepers stationed along the frontier.

In Paris, Lebanon's army commander Gen. Rodolph Haikal met U.S., French, and Saudi officials to explore support for bolstering military presence near the border. Haikal began with discussions alongside French military leaders.

Gen. Fabien Mandon, France's armed forces chief of staff, posted on X Thursday that he covered the strategic landscape and security hurdles in Lebanon and beyond with Haikal.

Mandon noted France's assistance to the Lebanese army pursues a shared goal of “to contribute to maintaining stability and lasting peace, in respect with Lebanon's sovereignty.”

The French Foreign Ministry reported that political parties in Paris on Thursday endorsed a February conference to back Lebanon's armed forces.

It added the discussions centred on advancing Hezbollah disarmament, as French, Saudi, and U.S. officials conferred with the Lebanese army head on a roadmap for the process.

A Lebanese army release quoted Haikal assuring Mandon that the forces remain dedicated to executing the ceasefire's initial phase near the Israeli border “within the specified time frame.”

The Lebanese government stated the army must purge Hezbollah's armed elements south of the Litani River by year-end.

Israel's military reported the strikes demolished Hezbollah infrastructure and launch pads in a training compound for fighters. It added hits on several Hezbollah sites storing arms and recently used by operatives.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the heavy barrages spanned from southern Mount Rihan to northeastern Hermel bordering Syria.

Soon after, a drone attack on a vehicle near southern Taybeh injured four people, NNA stated.

“This is an Israeli message to the Paris meeting aiming to support the Lebanese army,” parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri remarked on the strikes.

“The fire belt of Israeli airstrikes is to honour the mechanism's meeting tomorrow (Friday),” Berri added during a Beirut parliamentary session.

The recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict ignited on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas militants struck southern Israel, when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in Hamas solidarity. Israel unleashed massive strikes in September 2024, crippling Hezbollah, followed by a ground push.

Israel has conducted near-daily airstrikes since, mostly targeting Hezbollah but also killing 127 civilians, per the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Over recent weeks, the U.S. has ramped up calls for Lebanon to accelerate Hezbollah disarmament.

With inputs from AP