BEIRUT: Lebanon’s army on Sunday accused Israel of continuing military operations in southern Lebanon that it said were obstructing the full deployment of Lebanese forces under a framework agreement reached between the two countries last month.
In a statement, the army said Israeli forces were continuing to violate the agreement and international law through “the systematic destruction and bulldozing of homes, bombardment and sweeps with automatic weapons in several southern areas”.
“The continuation of these attacks obstructs the army’s full deployment according to current agreements and prevents the return of residents to their villages and towns,” the statement added.
The US-backed framework agreement, signed last month, requires the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah while Israeli troops withdraw from designated “pilot zones”, allowing Lebanese forces to take control of those areas.
The agreement followed more than three months of conflict after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in support of Iran, prompting extensive Israeli airstrikes and a ground offensive that Lebanese authorities say killed more than 4,300 people.
The Lebanese military also accused Israeli troops of “opening fire near army positions in Kfar Tibnit, Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya, which hinders the implementation of its missions”.
Although violence has eased following last month’s US-Iran memorandum on the broader regional conflict and the Lebanon-Israel framework deal, Lebanese officials continue to report intermittent Israeli airstrikes, artillery shelling and controlled demolitions in southern villages.
Earlier this week, the Lebanese army began deploying troops to Zawtar al-Gharbiya, one of the pilot zones covered by the agreement, while residents have started returning to inspect their homes.
Israeli forces had previously been stationed on the outskirts of the village. An AFP correspondent reported widespread destruction, with Lebanese soldiers patrolling the streets as residents assessed the damage.
“When I entered my home, I felt sadness. The destruction hurt me,” resident Ihsan Yaghi said while standing inside her fire-damaged home.
“Our homes used to be filled with life,” she said, adding that “we will rebuild.”
“We stand with the (Lebanese) army,” she added. “We want to feel safe. It’s time for the state to take care of us, we’re tired.”
