| Highlights from yesterday |
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Lebanon’s PM calls latest Israeli attack a ‘flagrant breach’ of sovereignty
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has condemned Israel’s latest attack on southern Lebanon.
Calling the attacks “a blatant violation of the ceasefire”, he said they constitute “a flagrant breach of Lebanon’s sovereignty and security, as well as the principles and rules of international law” in a statement posted on X.
He said the strikes pose a threat not only to the people of southern Lebanon, but to archaeological landmarks inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list , “which constitute a cherished part of our nation’s history”.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also condemned the attack earlier, saying explosions at Beaufort Castle, which is on the UNESCO list, were a “highly dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of existing commitments”.
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President Aoun says only Lebanese army should bear arms
In a message on the occasion of Army Day, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says the Lebanese army should be the country’s sole military force.
There should be “no legitimacy for any weapon outside the legitimacy of the state”, he said.
“The army alone possesses the decision-making authority, the strength, and the legitimacy to be the state’s exclusive military arm,” Aoun said.
He added that the military would expand its deployment in southern Lebanon as Israeli forces withdraw, saying the next phase requires “the exclusive extension of the state’s authority over its territories” and that the army alone is capable of protecting the country’s sovereignty.
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Heavy explosions rock southern Lebanon as Israeli forces conduct patrols
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) says southern villages and towns – particularly those in and near the Israeli-imposed “Yellow Zone”, including al-Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, and Haddatha – are in a state of high tension following huge explosions carried out by Israeli forces overnight.
The blasts resonated across the entire southern region from after midnight through this morning, it said.
In the area stretching from Saf al-Hawa to Bint Jbeil, Israeli forces opened fire with heavy machineguns and deployed mechanized patrols along the roadsides.
Residents reported widespread tension as the activity continued throughout the morning, according to the NNA report.
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UNIFIL says it remains committed to strengthening Lebanese army presence
The UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, has reaffirmed its support for the Lebanese Armed Forces as the country marks the army’s 81st anniversary, saying it “remains committed” to strengthening the state’s authority in southern Lebanon.
“Our decades-long partnership contributes to the shared goal of lasting security and stability in south Lebanon,” the mission said in a statement on X.
UNIFIL added that it remains committed to supporting “both parties” in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Trilateral Framework Agreement.
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Israeli military says soldier injured in southern Lebanon
Israel’s military says one of its officers has been “moderately injured during operational activity” in southern Lebanon.
The officer has been evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, the Israeli military said.
Israeli forces have continued to conduct attacks as they occupy parts of southern Lebanon despite a US-brokered “ceasefire” agreement. Yesterday, Israel’s military carried out a series of powerful detonations near Lebanon’s UNESCO-listed Beaufort Castle.
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Israel strikes town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon
An Israeli drone strike has struck the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon.
Israeli forces have continued to conduct attacks as they occupy parts of southern Lebanon despite a US-brokered “ceasefire” agreement.
Earlier, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) said southern villages and towns, particularly those in and near the Israeli-imposed “Yellow Zone”, including al-Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, and Haddatha, are in a state of high tension following huge explosions carried out by Israeli forces overnight.
The blasts resonated across the entire southern region from after midnight through this morning, it added.
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Israel claims killing of Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon
The Israeli army has claimed its troops killed several Hezbollah fighters in the Ali Taher Ridge, which is home to Lebanon’s UNESCO-listed Beaufort Castle, near the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.
In a statement on Saturday, the army said that as a result of the operation, “a combat officer was wounded in moderate condition.”
“The officer was evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital, and his family was notified,” the army added.
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UN says Israeli demolitions in southern Lebanon raise ‘grave concern’
The Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) has warned that ongoing Israeli demolitions in southern Lebanon raise “grave concern”, due to the “devastating effects they leave on civilian infrastructure, cultural heritage, and the collective memory of the local communities’ inhabitants”.
“A limit must be placed on this escalation in the pace of destruction, as diplomatic channels remain available to address any outstanding issues,” UNSCOL said on X.
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Lebanon army chief says ‘every inch of our land is our right’
Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolph Haykal has stressed the need to ensure the country’s territorial integrity, as Israel continues to occupy about 2,000sq km (770sq miles) of southern Lebanon’s territory.
“We believe that every inch of our land is our right, and we reject the continued Israeli occupation of any part of our territory,” Haykal said while visiting troops in the area of Tyre, according to the Lebanese Army’s X account.
“The sacrifices of our martyrs and wounded will not be in vain. We will continue to stand by our people and support their return despite all challenges,” he said.
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Israeli army continues large detonations in southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reports that the Israeli army has carried out a “massive explosion” in the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, in the Nabatieh district.
The state media outlet said that the detonation caused “strong tremors” and that its “echo reverberated beyond the southern regions”.
Days ago, Israeli forces carried out a similar detonation near Lebanon’s UNESCO-protected Beaufort Castle, using 700 tons of explosives to destroy what it claims was Hezbollah infrastructure.
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Israeli army fire reported in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reports the firing of tank shells and machineguns by Israeli army troops in the area of the town of Haddatha, in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon.
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