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British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper criticized Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon on Sunday, while simultaneously urging the Iranian-backed terror group to lay down its weapons and halt its attacks on Israel.

Speaking about the fighting, Cooper accused Israel of causing widespread harm through its military actions in Lebanon.

“Israel’s military escalation in Lebanon has killed and displaced civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and eroded space for diplomacy. It must end,” charged Cooper.

At the same time, she emphasized that responsibility also lies with Hezbollah, calling on the terrorist organization to stop its aggression.

“Hezobllah must end attacks on Israel and disarm.”

Cooper concluded by urging all parties to honor existing agreements and pursue diplomatic solutions.

“All sides must respect the ceasefire and engage with negotiations in good faith,” concluded Cooper.

Her remarks followed the IDF’s announcement that Israeli forces had launched a targeted military operation in the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Saluki regions of southern Lebanon. The mission is aimed at destroying terrorist infrastructure and eliminating Hezbollah operatives entrenched in the area.

According to the IDF, the operation got underway several days ago, with substantial ground forces moving into the area as part of an effort to broaden Israel’s Forward Defense Line.

Military officials said the offensive was authorized by the Chief of the General Staff after extensive planning, operational preparations, and preliminary fire missions carried out under the direction of the Northern Command. The objective is to secure operational control over the Beaufort Ridge and Wadi al-Saluki corridor while weakening Hezbollah’s capabilities and dismantling infrastructure established there with Iranian support.

The IDF stated that the Beaufort Ridge has long served as a strategic Hezbollah stronghold from which terrorists directed military operations and launched numerous attacks against Israel.

Israeli forces are also targeting launch sites in the region that have been used to fire hundreds of rockets and other projectiles at Israeli communities and IDF personnel.

As the operation continued, Hezbollah further violated the ceasefire on Sunday by extending the range of its rocket attacks into northern Israel. Among the targets was the city of Akko.

In a separate attack later in the day, four Israeli soldiers sustained light injuries when a Hezbollah explosive drone detonated in the community of Beit Hillel.

Medical personnel treated the wounded soldiers at the scene before transporting them to a hospital for further care. The military said their families were informed of the incident.

Iran has moved swiftly to restore much of its underground missile infrastructure following months of joint American and Israeli strikes, rebuilding access to critical launch sites and renewing concerns about Tehran’s ability to carry out large-scale missile attacks across the region, according to a CNN report published Sunday.

During the conflict, U.S. and Israeli forces concentrated significant firepower on the entrances to Iran’s underground military complexes. Precision strikes were used to collapse tunnel openings, block access roads, and hinder Iran’s ability to deploy long-range missiles. Although those attacks initially slowed Iranian operations, the report says Iranian engineering teams repeatedly returned to damaged locations to clear debris and reopen access routes, often while military operations were still underway. Since the ceasefire took effect more than seven weeks ago, those repair efforts have intensified considerably.

Satellite imagery examined by CNN indicates that Iran has reopened 50 of the 69 tunnel entrances that had been blocked or collapsed at 18 underground facilities targeted during the campaign. The images also show that much of the damage inflicted on surrounding infrastructure has been repaired, with bomb craters filled and road surfaces restored. At two major sites, paving work has reportedly already been completed.

According to the report, Iran relied largely on conventional construction equipment rather than sophisticated technology to restore the facilities. Bulldozers, loaders, and dump trucks were used extensively to remove debris and rebuild access points. Satellite photographs from a facility near Khomeyn taken in mid-April reportedly showed at least 10 construction vehicles working to reopen a blocked tunnel entrance. Near Isfahan, where at least 18 bombs were used to seal four tunnel complexes, newer imagery reportedly revealed that two entrances had already been fully reopened, while crews continued repairs at the remaining sites.

Military analysts cited in the report argue that Iran’s rapid recovery effort highlights weaknesses in the long-term strategy of containing the country’s missile capabilities. While American and Israeli strikes also targeted weapons-production infrastructure—including facilities involved in electronics manufacturing, drone production, and missile fuel components—Iran’s existing missile stockpile remains largely protected deep underground. Experts estimate that approximately 1,000 operational missiles may still be stored within hardened facilities buried hundreds of meters beneath the surface.

Asked about the intelligence assessment, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to address the specific findings. Instead, he reiterated a standard Pentagon position, stating that “America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing.”

{Matzav.com}