Israeli Strikes Pound South Lebanon as Troops Advance; 4,386 Dead
(MENAFN) Israel pounded southern Lebanon with airstrikes and artillery fire on Thursday, as an Israeli ground force pushed toward the edge of Habbariyeh in the Al-Arqoub area, Lebanon’s state news agency reported.
Warplanes hit the town of Kfar Tebnit in the Nabatieh district, while shells struck Mansouri and the Bayut al-Sayyad farm south of Tyre, the news agency said. Artillery also pounded Wadi Zibqin, and overnight shelling hit the stretch between Beit Yahoun and Baraachit in the Bint Jbeil district.
At Habbariyeh, in the Hasbaya district, Israeli guns fired six shells in succession at the town’s outskirts as ground troops closed in, according to the state news agency. The force of about 20 soldiers and four tanks moved toward the Nabaa al-Khoukh area, firing machine guns and conducting searches. Four Merkava tanks were also spotted maneuvering around Nabaa al-Khoukh as the column approached the town’s edge.
In a separate incident off Al-Amiriya, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade close to a fishing boat. No casualties were immediately reported.
The violence comes amid ongoing military technical talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which opened Tuesday in the US state of Florida under American sponsorship. The talks are meant to review how the framework agreement is being carried out and to settle on “pilot areas” from which the Israeli army is expected to pull back in southern Lebanon, according to a news agency correspondent.
Under the US-brokered deal struck on June 26, Israel would gradually withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory, while the Lebanese army deploys and armed groups are disarmed. The pilot-area approach has so far been put into practice in only three Nabatieh district towns, Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya, leaving more than 50 towns under occupation.
The agreement has not halted the bloodshed. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 4,386 people and wounded 12,407 since March 2, and have driven more than 1 million from their homes.
Israel still holds ground in southern Lebanon, some of it for decades and some seized in the 2023-2024 war. In the most recent conflict, its forces pushed roughly 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory.
Warplanes hit the town of Kfar Tebnit in the Nabatieh district, while shells struck Mansouri and the Bayut al-Sayyad farm south of Tyre, the news agency said. Artillery also pounded Wadi Zibqin, and overnight shelling hit the stretch between Beit Yahoun and Baraachit in the Bint Jbeil district.
At Habbariyeh, in the Hasbaya district, Israeli guns fired six shells in succession at the town’s outskirts as ground troops closed in, according to the state news agency. The force of about 20 soldiers and four tanks moved toward the Nabaa al-Khoukh area, firing machine guns and conducting searches. Four Merkava tanks were also spotted maneuvering around Nabaa al-Khoukh as the column approached the town’s edge.
In a separate incident off Al-Amiriya, an Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade close to a fishing boat. No casualties were immediately reported.
The violence comes amid ongoing military technical talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which opened Tuesday in the US state of Florida under American sponsorship. The talks are meant to review how the framework agreement is being carried out and to settle on “pilot areas” from which the Israeli army is expected to pull back in southern Lebanon, according to a news agency correspondent.
Under the US-brokered deal struck on June 26, Israel would gradually withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory, while the Lebanese army deploys and armed groups are disarmed. The pilot-area approach has so far been put into practice in only three Nabatieh district towns, Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya, leaving more than 50 towns under occupation.
The agreement has not halted the bloodshed. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 4,386 people and wounded 12,407 since March 2, and have driven more than 1 million from their homes.
Israel still holds ground in southern Lebanon, some of it for decades and some seized in the 2023-2024 war. In the most recent conflict, its forces pushed roughly 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment