Israeli destroys houses, obstructs deployment of Lebanese Army, media outlets say
Shafaq News/ Despite a ceasefire agreement that began on November 27, Israeli forces have reportedly targeted multiple villages in southern Lebanon and obstructed the Lebanese army access to a border village.
Lebanese media reported that after the Lebanese army entered the town of Shebaa, Israeli bulldozers, accompanied by Merkava tanks, began clearing the road linking the town to the Barakah al-Naqar area near the occupied Shebaa Farms, preventing the Lebanese military from accessing its previous position.
Additionally, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes on the Litani River near the southern village of Zawtar and launched two more raids on the village of Yaroun, located in the central sector. Israeli forces also reportedly planted explosives and detonated homes in the town.
In a related development, Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV aired footage showing Israeli tanks advancing into the town of Khyam, an area Israeli forces had previously been unable to enter during the South Lebanon conflict.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, brokered by the United States and France, was agreed after months of military escalation. The truce aims to calm tensions in southern Lebanon and Israel for an initial 60-day period.
Under the agreement, Israeli forces are to withdraw from border areas, and Hezbollah is to scale back military operations in southern Lebanon.
According to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the number of Israeli violations of the ceasefire has surpassed 100.
In response to these violations, Hezbollah announced on Monday evening that it had carried out a “preliminary defensive warning strike” targeting an Israeli military position in the Kfarshuba Hills, located in the occupied Lebanese sector. The group said this action was in retaliation for Israel’s repeated breaches of the ceasefire agreement.
On Wednesday, the Lebanese government confirmed that Hezbollah had agreed to allow the Lebanese army to take control of southern Lebanon, with the army mandated to enforce the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as outlined in the ceasefire deal.
Following a cabinet meeting in Beirut, Information Minister Ziad Makari announced that the cabinet would convene on Saturday in the southern city of Tyre (Sour,) a city deeply affected the the Israeli bombardment, with the army chief attending to present a plan for the army’s deployment in the region.
Makari added that the ministers from Hezbollah had agreed to the army's deployment in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, which was approved by the Lebanese government and Speaker Nabih Berri.
Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated last Friday that the party and the Lebanese army would coordinate at a high level to implement the agreement.
