Hezbollah dismantling truce, says Bibi; Israel attacks go on

Conflict extends beyond yellow line, 7 killed in Lebanon

FPJ World Desk

Mumbai

The Israeli military has dropped leaflets over the Tyre district in southern Lebanon, warning residents to avoid moving south of at least 20 villages and not to approach the Litani River area, the Salhani Valley and Al-Salkuki. Israeli forces said they plan to target Hezbollah sites in those areas, Al Jazeera reported.

The Israeli military issued a forced evacuation threat for seven villages north of the Litani River—Mefdon, Shukin, Yahmar, Arnoun, Zoter Sharqiya, Zoter Gharbiya and Kafr Tibnit. The military said it would act forcefully against Hezbollah over alleged violations of the ceasefire.

At least seven people were killed in Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon on Saturday. The health ministry reported 24 people were wounded in the raids, including three children. One person was killed and three were hurt in an attack on Qalawiya, while an unspecified number of casualties occurred after Israeli forces attacked a roundabout in Kafr Tibnit.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday during a weekly cabinet meeting Hezbollah’s actions were dismantling the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Lebanon. “It must be understood that Hezbollah’s violations are, in practice, dismantling the ceasefire,” he said. Hezbollah has dismissed accusations of breaking the ceasefire as “meaningless”, accusing Israel of violating the truce through continued stri­kes and territorial presence. 

The group claimed its attacks were defensive retaliations. Despite the renewed ceasefire, Hezbollah said it used a drone to target and inflict casualties on a group of Israeli soldiers in Taybeh.

The ceasefire has not involved either side stopping firing rockets or missiles. Israel carried out defensive operations and has been systematically demolishing villages in the occupied area using explosives, bulldozers and shelling. Netanyahu said he was responding to Hezbollah’s rockets by returning fire deeper into Lebanon. 

Israeli warplanes also targeted the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa and blew up houses between Yaroun and Bint Jbeil.