Lebanon army says Israeli attacks are blocking southern deployment

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s army said on Sunday that continued Israeli military action in the south was preventing it from fully deploying under a framework agreement reached last month.

In a statement, the army said Israeli forces were continuing attacks and violating existing understandings and international law through the “systematic destruction and bulldozing of homes, bombardment and sweeps with automatic weapons in several southern areas”. It said the ongoing attacks were obstructing the army’s full deployment under the agreement and stopping residents from returning to their towns and villages.

Under the US-sponsored deal signed last month, the Lebanese army is to disarm Hezbollah, while Israeli forces are to withdraw from “pilot zones” before Lebanese troops move in. The agreement followed more than three months of fighting after Hezbollah opened fire with rockets at Israel in support of Tehran, drawing major Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion that Lebanese authorities say have killed more than 4,300 people.

The army also said Israeli soldiers had opened fire near its positions in Kfar Tibnit, Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Zawtar al-Garhbiya, hampering the force’s ability to carry out its missions.

Although violence has eased since the signing last month of a US-Iran memorandum on the regional conflict and the Lebanon-Israel framework deal, Lebanon has continued to report intermittent Israeli strikes, artillery shelling in the south and the demolition of buildings in southern villages.

This week, Lebanese troops began deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbiya, one of the pilot zones covered by the agreement. In recent days, some residents have returned to inspect their homes there after Israeli troops had previously been on the outskirts of the village.

A resident, Ihsan Yaghi, described the scale of destruction after entering her house. She said, “When I entered my home, I felt sadness. The destruction hurt me.” She added, “Our homes used to be filled with life,” and said residents would rebuild. “We stand with the army,” she said, adding, “we want to feel safe. It’s time for the state to take care of us, we’re tired.”