Israel Delays Pilot Zone Withdrawal, Continues Demolitions in South Lebanon
Reports detail continued ceasefire violations, renewed destruction in border villages, and Israeli leadership statements linking withdrawal to security conditions in northern Israel.
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The Israeli army continues to violate the ceasefire in southern Lebanon, with ongoing bulldozing operations and systematic destruction of occupied villages.
In the latest developments, Israeli forces bulldozed the road extending from the Hamoul area at the entrance of the town of Naqoura to the town of Ayta ash Shaab, and cut down perennial trees along both sides of the road.
They also established crossing gates between the first and second lines, the “yellow line”, the border area, and the area south of the Litani River. An explosion was also carried out in the town of al Tiri in the Bint Jbeil district.
In addition, artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of the town of Beit Yahoun, accompanied by machine-gun fire sweeping along the road from Kounine to the city of Bint Jbeil.
At night, the Israeli army also carried out a demolition operation in the town of Markaba – Marj road, in addition to blowing up several houses in the Bait Yahoun – Hadatha area.
Delay in the launch of "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon
In this context, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that the expected agreement between Lebanon and Israel stipulates the creation of a joint mechanism operating around the clock between the Israeli and Lebanese armies to monitor the implementation of the agreement’s provisions and oversee its execution.
According to the authority, the joint mechanism will coordinate steps related to the disarmament of “Hezbollah”, while the United States will approve the Lebanese army personnel participating in this mechanism.
It added that the Israeli withdrawal from the two pilot zones in southern Lebanon will be delayed until an agreement is reached on an American monitoring mechanism overseeing the implementation of the understandings.
On his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon before what he described as the removal of the threat from northern Israel,” stressing that “establishing a buffer zone in the south represents one of the most important achievements of the military operations.”
Netanyahu said during a tour inside what he called the “security belt” in southern Lebanon that the Israeli army had “eliminated 9,000 Hezbollah fighters in recent weeks,” considering that “the goal of the security zones is to keep the danger away from northern Israeli towns.”