The Israeli army has prohibited thousands of displaced Lebanese residents from returning to villages near the southern border, intensifying tensions following a breached ceasefire agreement. This move comes a day after Israel announced its forces would remain in south Lebanon beyond the initial Sunday withdrawal deadline.
The ceasefire, brokered by France and the United States, aimed to end last year's conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel by allowing both sides 60 days to withdraw their forces from southern Lebanon. It also called for the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers to secure the area.
However, Israel declared on Friday that the Lebanese state had not fully enforced the agreement, leading to the extension of Israeli troops' presence without specifying a new withdrawal date.
In response, the Lebanese military accused Israel of delaying their withdrawal from other regions. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has urged France to pressure Israel to comply fully with the ceasefire terms.
During a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Aoun condemned Israel's ongoing actions, including the destruction of border villages and extensive land bulldozing, warning that these violations jeopardize the return of displaced residents to their homes.
Members of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that Israeli tanks and bulldozers have unexpectedly moved to set up several roadblocks, seemingly to prevent displaced Lebanese from attempting to return to their villages.
In a statement on social media platform X, the Israeli military shared a map highlighting an area in the south with dozens of villages, declaring that residents are banned from returning until further notice. The statement warned that anyone moving south of the designated line is putting themselves in danger. The restricted area stretches from Shebaa, less than two kilometers from the border in the east, to Mansouri in the west, about 10 kilometers from the border.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
